*Edit: fixed the occurrences of Paletuft's mysterious twin sister, Petaltuft :) Thank you to Ivyheart for pointing that out!*
Maplepaw ran through Thunder forest, her paws barely touching the grass. A half moon smiled through the old oaks and beech trees above, making her white patches shine like fresh snow. Snow... She'd only seen snow once before, a brief glimpse from inside the nursery, yet in her mind she could picture it vividly: the way its crust held the glitter of Silverpelt, how soft and wet it was underpaw, how it gave way when she put her weight on it.
An owl hooted above, its wings stretching long enough to touch the stars. I'm dreaming, thought Maplepaw; this must be a dream. The owl looked straight through her, and when she looked down, she could see the grass through her pelt.
There was something wrong. Eyes watched her from the trees, and suddenly the starlight faded, and the moon disappeared behind a cloud. "Hello?" she called, fluffing out her fur instinctively. "Who's there? Can you see me?"
You've forgotten yourself, a voice whispered. You've forgotten your rage. You were a queen among the evil ones, the starless ones. You were a matriarch of murder.
Come back to us, said another voice. Come back to the shade.
"Who are you?" Maplepaw's voice trembled. "Leave me alone!"
Don't you want to be a warrior? A deputy? The voice purred. Leader?
"Sure," she said in a small voice. "One day, maybe."
We can show you how.
Mapledaw woke with a start to find Bloompaw's tail laying on her snout. Just a dream, she thought, breathing heavily. Just a dream. Light from the three-quarters moon shone through the brambles woven around the den entrance.
"StarClan above, Maple! Can't you keep it down?" Frecklepaw growled from the other side of the apprentice den. "Some of us are trying to sleep." She flicked her tail crossly. "I bet when you're warrior they'll call you Maplescreech."
"And I bet they'll change your name to Foxheart," Maplepaw growled, shoving her nose under her paw.
"Are you two bickering again?" Wrenpaw meowed groggily. "Go to sleep. Thrushflight's taking me on the dawn patrol." His flicked his dark red tail.
"Sorry," Maplepaw mumbled. "Sorry…"
She curled up, breathing the warmth of Bloompaw's pelt, but she couldn't sleep. By the time twilight turned the den blue-gray, her limbs felt stiff and sore, and her eyes dry from tiredness. Great.
"Well, since you're up," Wrenpaw whispered, "you might as well see if Thrushflight will take you with me to dawn patrol." He flicked her ears with his tail on the way out of the den. "Come on. It'll be fun!"
Maplepaw stretched, shaking herself roughly. My first dawn patrol! She'd spent the day before exploring Thunder forest and cleaning out the elder's den. She still hadn't had a proper hunt or battle training. Her paws worked impatiently at the ground as she followed Wrenpaw into the hollow. It's like Dapplecreek doesn't want me to do anything hard! I know I've only been an apprentice for a few days, but I wanna learn.
"Maple!" Thrushflight waved his tail eagerly. "You can come with me on patrol. I'll just go let your mentor know." As he disappeared into the warrior den, Jaggedclaw, Paletuft, and Birchnose assembled at the hollow exit, waiting for them to come. The deputy narrowed her eyes at Maplepaw, but didn't say anything.
"She's kinda scary, isn't she?" Wrenpaw whispered. "I can't believe Fallensnow's her mom. Her new litter is so cute! And Freezekit is super shy. I bet Paletuft was never shy."
"Mother told me when she was a 'paw, Paletuft and Yellowstar were super close. Like, super close. Always getting into mischief together. Imagine Petaltuft getting into mischief."
"You don't think-"
"If you're quite finished chattering like squirrels," growled Jaggedclaw, "we'd like to get a move on."
"Yes, Jaggedclaw." Maplepaw hung her head, abashed. Sorry.
Paletuft flicked her tail and slithered through the thorns around the hollow entrance. Maplepaw followed, hurrying to walk beside Thrushflight. He purred warmly. I wish he really was my dad.
"I can't believe you're an apprentice already," Thrushflight said as they walked. They headed toward the BlackClan border first, Paletuft's mouth open to scent the air. "I remember the day you two were born. No one knew Redpoppy was even with kits. Rabbitleap's kits had only been born four moons before." He chuckled. "You didn't get along with Frecklepaw then, either."
"Really?" She tilted her head. "I don't remember that." We were denmates?
"You were too young. Once time, I-" He paused, frowning. "Hold on." They'd reached the scent line. Maplepaw wrinkled her nose at the strong, acrid stench of Shadow forest. Nothing but pine trees! How could any cat stand that smell? Copying the warriors, she flicked her tail to leave her mark on the Thunder side of the border.
Paletuft lead them along the border, toward the moors. Wrenpaw, Jaggedclaw, and Birchnose followed close behind, with Maplepaw and Thrushflight making up the rear.
"You were saying?" Maplepaw's pelt itched with curiosity.
"I-I think your mother should tell you," the warrior said sheepishly.
"What!" She flicked her tail angrily. "Can't you just tell me?" She stretched her eyes wide, trying to look innocent. "Pleeeeeaase, Thrushflight? After all, you're the one who brought it up." She flicked his ear with her tail. "You shouldn't temp a cat with a juicy mouse just to swatch it away."
The brown tabby tom shuffled his paws awkwardly. "Fine," he said, "but don't let Redpoppy know I told you. When you were just two days old, we left you with Rabbitleap for a minute so Redpoppy could stretch her legs. When we came back, you were hardly breathing… Frecklepaw-Frecklekit then-was standing over you, looking guilty. Rabbitleap was asleep. Cloudstep had to get you breathing again." He shook his head, his amber eyes shadowed. "She said she was just playing. We're still not sure what happened."
Maplepaw tripped over a root and yelped in surprise. Frecklepaw hurt me? She shook herself roughly. What did I ever do to her? She wanted to yowl aloud. She wanted to race into the trees. Why?
"Does Frecklepaw remember?"
Thrushflight shrugged. "I'm not sure."
"Stop daydreaming and get a move on," Jaggedclaw hissed.
Thrushflight laid his tail protectively around her shoulders. "She tripped," he meowed.
"Kits!" Birchnose lashed his tail, but his eyes glimmered with amusement.
Maplepaw shook her ears roughly to clear her head. Frecklepaw. A sense of foreboding gripped her chest. She focused on the warm, familiar scent of Thrushflight's pelt to banish it.
By the time the patrol reached the TallClan border, Maple's legs were shaky from tiredness. As she laid her mark next to Wrenpaw's, a new scent bathed her mouth: TallClan! A border patrol was heading their way, tails raised proudly. A skinny gray tom lead the patrol.
"Pigeonfeather." Petaltuft dipped her head to the tom. "How's the prey running in TallClan?"
"Newleaf rich," said the tom, his yellow eyes unreadable. "Be well." A brown warrior behind him narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the FireClan patrol, but Petaltuft merely dipped her head and padded confidently into the forest away from the scent line. Maplepaw stared after the rabbit-scented warriors, almost disappointed that her first encounter with a rival Clan had ended so peaceably. What's wrong with me? She glanced down at her unsheathed claws. Do I want to fight?
"Battle training today," Dapplecreek announced when she returned to the hollow. "Eat quickly. Nettlescratch and Sunsplash just brought back loads of prey. Yellowstar is waiting in the training hollow."
Yellowstar! Wow! Then Maplepaw's heart plummeted. Oh. That means Frecklepaw. The Clan leader was Frecklepaw's mentor; according to Redpoppy, it was rare for a Clan leader to take an apprentice. Yellowstar hadn't had one since she mentored Nettlescratch seasons before. And Frecklepaw never lets us forget it.
After gulping down a fieldmouse, Maplewish padded to the training hollow, keeping her head high. Frecklepaw won't know what hit her, she thought, trying to be brave. I'm not a two-day old kit anymore.
Frecklepaw sat at the edge of the hollow, swiping her tongue over her golden-and-brown fur, evidently bored. Her eyes lit up with gleeful malice when she saw Maplepaw.
"Are you ready, Maplepaw?" Yellowstar's amber eyes glowed from the edge of the sandy clearing.
Maplepaw opened her mouth to reply, but Dapplecreek interrupted. "I-I was thinking I'd show her a few moves first," said Dapplecreek awkwardly. "This is her first time, after all."
"Nonsense. Learning comes with doing, Dapplecreek. Maplepaw, remember to keep your claws sheathed. Frecklepaw, I want you to try to unbalance Maplepaw. Use the move we talked about. Maplepaw, try to keep her from touching you." She sat and curled her tail around her forepaws. "Go!"
Unsure what to do with herself, Maplepaw crouched, keeping her tail low behind her, and watched Frecklepaw. The golden she-cat pounced, paws outstretched. Spooked, Maplepaw flinched to the side, but Frecklepaw landed a tail-length from her.
"Hah! You'll-"
Quick as a snake, Frecklepaw slithered under Maplepaw's belly and pushed up, shoving her on her side. She stepped back, her eyes bright with triumph. Maplepaw hurried to her paws. She felt icy veins of rage curl around her, and suddenly her body knew what to do.
"Scared?"
Maplepaw stood stone still, her feet like boulders in the sand, and waited for the next attack. Frecklepaw swiped a paw at her head; she waited until the lash moment and dodged while the apprentice's paw was still outstretched. Frecklepaw shifted awkwardly to follow. Maplepaw leapt back, snaked to the side, and dealt a hard cuff to Frecklepaw's ear.
"Hey! No fair-"
Maplepaw reared on her haunches, making to look like she was about to swipe; smirking, Frecklepaw shot forward. Exactly, thought Maplepaw, and leapt off the ground, over Frecklepaw's back. She landed on her hindquarters, just barely remembering to keep her claws sheathed, and pushed with her hind legs, sending Frecklepaw into the dirt.
"Give up yet?" Maplepaw let her up and danced around the clearing, her eyes locked with Frecklepaw's. She saw nothing but Frecklepaw, felt nothing but the surge of power through her chest. Her muscles tensed with an oddly familiar twinge, ready for the next move.
"Never," the apprentice hissed, claws curling out of their sheaths. She darted forward and feinted back. Maplepaw just watched, amused. You think you can fool me twice? Frecklepaw leapt, paws outstretched; Maplepaw dodged easily to the side and raked her paw down the she-cat's side. Frecklepaw whirled around, breathing hard, and tried to swipe Maplepaw's legs from under her, but she was expecting that; Maplepaw sidestepped and lashed her tail, tangling Frecklepaw's forepaws so she had to scramble to keep balance. She was back up soon and coming at Maplepaw with a swooping paw jab. Rolling with Frecklepaw's weight, Mapledawn unbalanced her again, and the brown-flecked apprentice fell heavily on her back, winded.
I could kill her right now, Maplepaw thought in surprise. The she-cat's throat was exposed and unprotected as she struggled to right her paws. Hate glimmered in dark amber eyes.
"Enough." Yellowstar's voice was low. Maplepaw stepped back respectfully and faced the Clan leader. "That was-"
Teeth sank into Maplepaw's shoulders. Yowling, Maplepaw shook, trying to dislodge the apprentice.
"Frecklepaw!" Yellowstar hissed. Frecklepaw let go, her tail lashing.
"Sorry," she murmured, not looking sorry at all.
"'Sorry?' Sorry catches no mice. You disobeyed your leader." A growl rumbled in her throat. "To the hollow. Now. Maplepaw, well done."
Dapplecreek's eyes were dark as the leader left, Frecklepaw glaring mutinously behind her. "You did well," she said, "but…"
"But?" Her shoulders slumped. What did I do wrong?
"But… StarClan above, where did you learn those moves? Play fighting with Bloompaw? Or maybe-maybe Redpoppy?" She tilted her head, eyes wide.
Maplepaw didn't know what to say. She stared down at her big claws, uncurling them into the thin sand. Where did I learn that?
Come back to us, the trees whispered. Learn what you forgot. Make Thunder run with blood.
She opened her mouth to yowl in protest, but Dapplecreek was still watching her, looking both suspicious and concerned. Why is this happening to me? I just want to be a good warrior! I don't want to hurt anyone! Her pelt ruffled, she ran into the forest, her paws skimming the undergrowth. Dapplecreek's alarmed meow faded in the background. I'm sorry!