Ravenkit never cries. That's the most annoying thing about him. He'll crack jokes and tell stories and weasel straight out of Dustkit's paws, but he's always so silent otherwise. If he didn't know better, he would whack his brother upside the head, claws extended, to get some sort of noise out of him.
But Dustkit does know better than that. Ravenkit gives twice as hard as he gets, the lanky mouse-brain.
Ravenkit didn't even cry when their father stopped coming to visit, the same glazed look in Mama's eyes coming over her when Dustkit asked about him that she got whenever she talked about Cherrypaw or Chestnutkit. She wouldn't tell him anything, and then angry, prickling tears of frustration would leak no matter how hard he groomed the fur beneath his eyes.
Yet Ravenkit just sat in the corner, silent and stoic as ever. "It's okay, Dustkit," he'd say, "we can just play with each other."
And Dustkit would say, "Shut up. Go eat fox-dung," and Ravenkit would just laugh and laugh and laugh no matter how affronted Mama got at his language.
The quiet gets stifling when Mama goes away. "Proudly killed in battle, sacrificing herself for the good of her clan," Lionheart said to them, all heavy-eyed and narrow-mouthed.
Dustkit sobbed like a baby at the news. Mama wasgone.And it was like Ravenkit didn't even care.
"Dustkit," he'd say, in that calm, even, infuriating tone. "Do you wanna play mossball?"
And Dustkit would say, "Go die," and play with Sandkit instead. She was loud and boisterous and everything his stupid brother wasn't. She said she wassorrywhen Mama died, even if dumb Ravenkit didn't want to acknowledge her at all.
And if Dustkit noticed his (by two minutes! Only two!) older brother sitting silently in the corner of the nursery, batting a mossball slowly between his paws, well, that was none of Dustkit's concern.
Dustkit plays hard. Sandkit plays even harder. She's the best friend he's ever made in his short life, and they're probably going to be mates one day. Dustkit doesn't really know what he'ddowith a kit, but that's what mollies and toms do when they love each other, so that's gonna be what happens.
She doesn't seem so enthused when he mentions it. "Gross!" she sticks out her tongue, hissing gently at the thought.
"Hey!" he protests, wrestling against her kitten fluff. He goes down pretty easily. He's better with range! "I'm not ugly! Better me than Ravenkit!"
"What do you got against Ravenkit anyway?" Sandkit chuffs. "I wishIhad littermates. Then I'd have somebody way better to play with than you!"
"Shut up," Dustkit groans, rolling his eyes. "You're lucky Redtail even managed to have you! He's got a billion important deputy things to do."
"S'not more important than me," Sandkit says, chest puffing out with pride, foreclaws flexing with the motion. "It doesn't matter if he's busy!"
Dustkit feels suddenly very bitter, like he'd bitten into a chestnut instead of a squirrel. "Yeah," he says. "Good for you."
"... Sorry," Sandkit looks away. "I didn't mean…"
"Whatever. It's fine." Dustkit tackles her, eliciting a yowl of protest. Some of the bitter taste goes away. "I'm not done winning yet!"
"You arenotgonna win!"
Apprentice age comes, and Dustkit celebrates the night before with Sandpaw, who had become an apprentice herself ten moonrises ago.
"I swore they would give me Redtail," she sighs, "but Whitestorm's pretty good. Hey, maybe you'll get him, and we can all go on patrol together!"
Personally, Dustkit hopes for a strong, intimidating warrior like Tigerclaw. Redtail may be deputy, but he's barely two and a half tail-lengths long. Not that Dustkit would say that to Sandpaw.
"Ravenkit! Ravenkit!" Graykit's squeaky little voice chimes. "You're gonna be an apprentice!? I don't wanna be all alone!"
"It's okay," Ravenkit murmurs, becauseof coursehe does. Everything'sjust finewhen Ravenkit's there. "I'll come visit. You can help me make up some new stories if you want. I'm starting to run out."
"Really!? You promise!?"
"Relax, Graykit," says his mother, Willowpelt. "Just two moons and you'll be joining them. It'll come sooner than you think."
"But two moons isforeverrr…"
"Don't you remember the words of the great Lightningclaw?" Ravenkit asks, referencing some dumb story or another. Whether he got it from the flea-ridden elders or made it up himself doesn't matter to Dustkit. "'Impatience will kill you before your enemies ever will.'"
"I wanna make a new part!" Graykit whines. "'Impatience will only kill you if being patient is cool!"
Ravenkit laughs. "Right. Well, I should take a hint from you, then. It's time for the ceremony."
Dustkit huffs, turning away as Ravenkit sits beside him. The light purring in the back of his brother's throat dies away.
"Dustkit," he says.
Dustkit flattens his ears.
"... Never mind."
"All cats old enough to catch their own pray gather beneath the Highrock!" Bluestar calls, and Dustkit stiffens.
The clan, one by one, swarms around the brothers: relatives and friends; respected warriors; cats that Dustkit is only tangentially aware of; all looking down athim.His fur itches a bit.
"Ravenkit," Bluestar says, because of course Ravenkit gets to go first. "you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Ravenpaw. Your mentor will be Tigerclaw."
What!? Dustkit digs his claws into the ground, nearly biting his tongue off in order not to cry out.
Tigerclaw steps forward, face nearly as emotionless as Ravenkit's own.
"I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you," Bluestar continues. That bitter feeling is back, like he's been eating clumps of dirt. She turns to Tigerclaw, standing tall and proud like Dustkit should be. "Tigerclaw,you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received… excellent training from Thistleclaw, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and outspoken. You will be the mentor of Ravenpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."
His brother's face changes for once - he looks downrightuncomfortableas Tigerclaw stands before him, over double his size.Dustkit barely hold in a scoff. He gets the greatest warrior in the clan for a mentor, and he's probably already thinking about the best way to get out of training.
"Dustkit."
Dustkit hopes his anger isn't showing on his face. He stiffens. He is not going to let Ravenkit - paw now, he guesses - ruin this for him.
"You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Dustpaw. Your mentor will be Redtail."
The deputy steps forward, calico fur glimmering in the moonlight.'Well, he's still pretty cool, even if he's tiny,'Dustpaw figures, not quite soothed.
Redtail grins. "Not quite what you expected, hmm, Dustkit?" he murmurs just lowly enough for only the two of them to hear.
Dustkit's eyes widen, and he quickly resists puffing up in humiliation. What agreatstart to his apprenticeship.
"I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you," Bluestar repeats. Dustkit knows full-well that ceremony is important, but couldn't the speech be a little shorter? "Redtail,you are ready to take on an apprentice. As my deputy, I have great expectations for you that I am sure you shall meet. You have received excellent training from Halftail, and you have shown yourself to be swift, ferocious, and sharp-witted. You will be the mentor of Dustpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."
Redtail touches his nose to Dustpaw(!)'s own, and a little more of the bitterness washes away. There's a knowing gleam in Redtail's eyes as he stares Dustpaw down, a quirk at the corner of his maw.
'Maybe,'Dustpaw figures,'apprentice of the deputy isn't so bad.'
Training is miserable for the first few days. As it turns out, switching from being able to sleep in until sunhigh to Redtail shaking him awake at the crack of dawn is a hard adjustment. It doesn't help that the Apprentices' Den is so much colder than the nursery.
At least Dustpaw hadn't had to make his own nest, one was already there when he walked in. Of course, Ravenpaw had made his own nest next to Sandpaw's, meaning Dustpaw had to force him to swap places. Annoying.
Redtail and Tigerclaw take them out together to see the territory, Whitestorm dragging a reluctant Sandpaw away to practice her hunting. Ravenpaw is quiet, like he always is around Dustpaw, and Tigerclaw doesn't make much noise himself.
It's up to Dustpaw's mentor to fill the silence. "... And this is Snakerocks. It's preybare, and as dangerous as a badger."
Dustpaw sniffs.
"That meansoff-limits,Dustpaw," Redtail chuffs. "If I find you practicing your hunting on adders, I'll make Spottedleaf take over your apprenticeship."
"You wouldn't!"
"Try me."
They stare at each other for a long moment, Redtail's face unreadable, and Dustpaw's horror mounting at the idea of being a wimpy, declawedmedicine cat.Not that he intends any offense to Redtail's littermate. Honest.
Redtail cracks, purring loudly. "I'm just messing with you, Dustpaw. You should see that look on your face!"
"Wh-Wha-!? Hey!"
Ravenpaw snickers, and Dustpaw's bruised pride is onlyslightlybalmed when Tigerclaw cuffs him over the head. "If we're done with the comedy," the massive tabby huffs. "You'll remember we have a schedule to keep."
"Right, right," Redtail rolls his eyes. "Because we're on such a strict mission. Relax a little, Tigerclaw. Get to know your apprentice."
Tigerclaw only grunts. Ravenpaw doesn't make any effort to strike up a conversation.
"Fine," Redtail sighs. "Come on, then."
The rest of the walk is comparatively quiet, Dustpaw drinking in the territory that was alltheirs.Bathing in the grandness of it all, Dustpaw feels proud to have been born Thunderclan.
"Wow," Redtail says, still much more vocal than the rest of the group. "You could melt away leaf-bare with that bouncing, Dustpaw."
"W-Well, it's exciting!" Dustpaw says, refusing to be ashamed. This is theirterritory.The very land he'd spend his life defending. Why shouldn't he be eager to see it!?
"Not to mention his nest," Ravenpaw jabs, and Dustpaw's mood evaporates like his namesake.
Redtail is left to carry the rest of the tour, only aided by Tigerclaw after a great deal of annoyed prompting.
"Okay," Dustpaw's mentor says a few days later, now that he's gotten more used to his new sleep schedule. "We're gonna do a bit of sparring today, just to see what you two need to work on."
Tigerclaw nods. "Ravenpaw, step up to Dustpaw."
"Remember, no claws!" Redtail adds. "As much as I love Spottedleaf, I'm not looking to have you visit her."
Dustpaw's fur stands on end as his brother approaches, with a drawn muzzle and eyes that won't meet his own. It makes his blood boil.
"Well, don't just stand there!" scoffs Tigerclaw. "We can't improve something you won't show us!"
Ravenpaw's ears fold back. "D-Do we really-?"
Dustpaw bolts forwards, batting Ravenpaw's ear. It doesn't do much besides make the other tom wince in discomfort. Retaliating, Ravenpaw drops into a crouch, long tail swaying as he bites at Dustpaw's grounded foreleg.
Dustpaw leaps back, hissing, and headbutts his brother full-force, sending little emissaries of Starclan dancing along the backs of his eyelids. He shakes it off quickly, digging his teeth into Ravenpaw's scruff.
Ravenpaw hisses in pain, scrabbling back to his feet as Dustpaw's grip holds firm. His lanky forelegs jut out, sweeping Dustpaw's own from under him.
The impact with the dirt makes his vision swim, and Ravenpaw manages to squirm away, flipping Dustpaw over to gently grip his neck in his jaws.
"Huh," Tigerclaw says. "A victory for-"
Dustpaw seesred.Their mother's voice croaks softly in his ears as he rakes his claws violently into Ravenpaw's sides.
"Hey!" Redtail grabs him, pulling him off of a hissing Ravenpaw. "What are you doing!? I told you no claws, didn't I?"
Dustpaw tears up the dirt in front of him, trying all he can to calm down. But his chest just won't stop heaving, and those worthless tears prick at his eyes.
"Dustpaw, are you listening to me?"
"Hey, Dustpaw," Ravenpaw says, resting on his haunches, breathing slow and pained. "A-Are you alright?"
A hot wash of shame pours over Dustpaw's ears, drenching the fire of his anger. He looks away, tongue-tied. What is he even doing, embarrassing himself in front of Tigerclaw and Redtail like this?
"You realize I'm going to have to punish you for this, right?" Redtail sighs. "I don't know what's been going on between you and Ravenpaw, but this is unacceptable. You two need to either work things out, or just stay away from each other."
"But-!" Ravenpaw starts. "I… He just got too excited, that's all. Please don't be angry with him."
"Nope," Redtail shakes his head. "Don't make excuses for him. He lost. There's no reason for him to take it out on you."
Dustpaw wishes they wouldn't talk about him like he's not here. Heknowshe messed up. Redtail doesn't need to keep rubbing it in.
"Perhaps you should talk to Whitestorm," Tigerclaw says. "You've been wanting to spend more time with Sandpaw, right? If Ravenpaw can't handle a little retaliation, then maybe some one-on-one training is what he needs."
"I…" Ravenpaw trails off, and Dustpaw still just doesn't understand what he's thinking. Shouldn't he be happy? It's not like Ravenpaw likes Dustpaw anymore than Dustpaw does him.
"I'm not sure, just," Redtail sighs. "Let me talk to Dustpaw, okay? You go make sure Ravenpaw isn't too hurt."
Tigerclaw nods, and despite Ravenpaw's protests that he's fine, really, the older cat drags him back to camp.
"So," Redtail says, his namesake sweeping back and forth across the training grounds. It's about the only part of him Dustpaw can bear to look at. "You wanna tell me what that was all about?"
"... Does it matter?" Dustpaw mumbles, ears flat. "Just tell me what my punishment is…"
Redtail licks his paw, grooming back the fur atop his head. "Oh, you'll be punished, don't you worry. But I'd rather understandwhyyou did that, Dustpaw. I know things between you and Ravenpaw have been a little tense ever since Robinwing…"
Dustpaw's fangs grind together awkwardly. "... I don't wanna talk about it."
"Then I guess we're just gonna sit here."
The silence grows staggeringly oppressive. Dustpaw stewing in his own humiliation as the mentor hedidn't even wantstares him down passively. Dustpawhatesstupid, passive expressions like that.
A few seconds pass.
"... It's like he didn't even care," Dustpaw breaks, memorizing the little patterns in the dirt between his forepaws.
Redtail rests on his haunches. "'Like'?"
"Yeah," Dustpaw spits. "I never know what he's thinking. It's always stories and games or whatever stupid whim he gets. Our- Our mom died and he didn't sayanything.Why shouldn't I hate him!?"
"Is that the truth, Dustpaw?" Redtails shakes his head. "Because I can promise you that Ravenpaw cares about you."
Dustpaw growls. "No, hedoesn't.He doesn't care about anything."
"When's the last time you really talked with your littermate, Dustpaw?"
"Just now, when Tigerclaw dragged him off."
"I mean, really sat down and talked. Did you ever tell him how you feel?"
"... He should know if he's so smart. 'Snot like he talked tome."
"Would you let him if he tried?"
Dustpaw can't find the answer for that. He doesn't think he'll like what it is.
Dustpaw's bedding, after a long day of cleaning ticks off the elders with enough mousebile to make him choke, is immaculate. Ravenpaw is cleaning moss off of his paws.
"You don't have any poultices," is all Dustpaw can think to say. He hadn't ever seen Sandpaw near his nest, but he had thought…
"Oh!" Ravenpaw whirls around, grinning nervously. "Hey. Uh, yeah. The scratches weren't really all that deep. All you did was pull a little fur out."
"... Did Smallear or Halftail teach you how to tell stories?" Dustpaw asks, strolling up to his bedding. "Both of them were mewling my ears flat the whole time."
"Little of A, little of B," Ravenpaw says, not meeting his eyes.
They sit in silence, staring down at Dustpaw's nest. "... Why didn't you cry when Mama died, Ravenpaw?"
"... Fuzzypelt was already gone," Ravenpaw said. "Part of Robinwing went with him, I think. She wasn't really there anymore. I guess I just knew to expect it."
"She was our mother."
"I know," Ravenpaw turned to him, and Dustpelt saw the emotion simmering in his bright yellow eyes. "I know. I loved her too, Dustpaw. When you stopped talking to me…"
He looked away again. "I didn't know what to do. It was easier with Graykit. I'm sorry."
"... You can move your nest next to mine if you want. It's cosier in the middle anyway."
Ravenpaw beamed, eyes shimmering wetly. "Won't Sandpaw be mad?"
"Sandpaw can go groom nettle."
"Hey!" Uh oh. "I heard that!"
Ravenpaw laughs harder than he's heard before when Sandpaw tackles Dustpaw from behind, shoving his face into the moss of his nest.
Dustpaw supposes, as Sandpaw demands an apology he refuses to give, that just because they're littermates, doesn't mean they'll think the same way.
But if Ravenpaw's so willing to forgive him, maybe his brother's not as awful as he thought.
Battle training with Sandpaw is a lot less emotionally draining, that's for certain. If much, much more physically exhausting.
"Gah!" Dustpaw cries as his face meets the dirtagain."You're gonna give me a nosebleed!"
"Maybe that'll toughen you up, fatty!"
"Fatty!? You're bigger than me!"
"Alright, alright," Whitestorm chuckles. "Victory to Sandpaw."
"Ha!"
"No fair," Dustpaw groans, grooming the dirt from his fur. "She's been an apprentice longer…"
"My, you certainly seem to think you'll go far in the next half-moon!" Redtail grins. "If ten sunrises is such a drastic advantage."
Yeah. Dustpelt can see the family resemblance.
"Shut up…"
Redtail only laughs. "You know I can put you on tick duty again for that?"
"Starclan, please no! I don't know what Ravenpaw sees in the elders..."
"That's what I thought!" Redtail sniffs. "Ah, that reminds me. Whitestorm?"
"Don't go telling Bluestar I spread this around," Whitestorm says, "but it seems you two will be going to this moon's Gathering, despite Dustpaw's, ah,overeagernessinvolving his brother."
"I already apologized for that!"
Sandpaw cuffs him over the ears. "Mouse-brain! Didn't you hear the first part!? We're attending our first Gathering!"
"Yeah, thatispretty cool," Dustpaw admits. "Is Ravenpaw coming too?"
"Ah, no," Whitestorm says. "Looks like Tigerclaw wants to focus on his training." He chuckles. "Poor kit. Tigerclaw's been hard to please since we were in the nursery."
"Oh," Redtail's ears perk up, "did you enlighten these curious young minds as to the Sap Incident?"
"'The Sap Incident'?" Sandpaw repeats, tail twitching.
Whitestorm laughs. "Later, maybe. I'll just say that Tigerclaw's eyes have always been bigger than his stomach."
"Wha-!? You can't just leave it atthat!"
"Tell you what: pass your next hunting assessments and I'll tell you."
Sandpaw scoffs. "You might as well tell me now ifthat'sthe condition."
Dustpaw is glad for her faith in him. An embarrassing story about the most intimidating warrior in Thunderclan is certainly a motivator to perform.
True to their mentors' words, Bluestar announces them as the apprentices in attendance for the Gathering. The realization dawns on Dustpaw that this will be the first time he meets the other clans outside of random border patrols; it had been Sandpaw and Ravenpaw attending last moon.
The trek to Fourtrees is a tad long, but Redtail's quick to distract him with a few jokes at Smallear's expense.
"You'd swear he was deafbeforehe retired," he chuckles, shaking his head. Dustpaw can't hold back his snickering.
"Redtail," Runningwind chides, side-eying the other time. "What kind of example are you setting for the kits?"
Redtail huffs. "Please, they're hardly kittens anymore. Besides, I haven't taught them therealnasty swears."
"Ha! The kittypet ones?"
"What can I say? They're catchy."
Dustpaw's a little bewildered that his mentor has had any contact whatsoever with kittypets. "You know kittypets?"
"I wouldn't sayknow," Redtail tilts his head in a shrug, "but it's good to keep up relations. Can't have Thunderclan getting all inbred, you know."
"Huh." Sandpaw's muzzle scrunches up. "W-Wait, I'm not-!?"
"Don't worry," Redtail laughs. "Brindleface really is your mother. Not a drop of kittypet blood to speak of. Though, it's not like I'd love you any less," he coos, rubbing his chin on her head.
"Redtail!" she groans in embarrassment.
Runningwind cackles. "My! How unbecoming for the deputy of Thunderclan!"
"Eh, Bluestar can discharge me, but you sure can't."
"I'll banish the both of you if you don't pick up the pace," Bluestar calls from the head of the group. Wisely, they all obey.
It seems Bluestar was right to tell them to hurry, given that all the other clans are already present by the point Thundeclan arrives.
"Uh-oh," Redtail says. "Looks like we dilly-dallied." He nudges Dustpaw forward with his nose. "Go on. Socialize while you have the chance."
"Should I really be fraternizing with the other clans?" Dustpaw asks, digging his claws into the dirt to stay in place.
"Ha! You're talking like a mini Tigerclaw. You're my apprentice, not his, no matter how sore you might feel about it."
"I- I don't think you're bad or anything…" Dustpelt defends.
Redtail smiles, tail dancing behind him. "Then take my advice, yeah? Go make some friends."
Dustpaw guesses expanding his social circle with someone other than Graykit will probably be good for his mental health. So whatever. Off to play denmates with random clan cats.
Dustpaw walks up to the nearest group of cats around his age, Sandpaw padding alongside him.
He takes a whiff. Woof. "Shadowclan, then?" he asks.
"Oh!" a black and white one jumps, splotches of fur patternless with its colors. "Hi! Um, you're Thunderclan, right?"
"Badgerpaw!" hisses the little brown one next to him. "We aren't supposed to-"
"What're we gonna tell 'em?" Badgerpaw, apparently, asks. Dustpaw's brow wrinkles a bit. This kit was six moons? He was tinier than Graykit! "Areyougonna go blabbing clan secrets? 'Cuz Flintfang trains me better than that!"
"Whatever," the brown one scoffs. He curls his jowl at Dustpaw. "Don't expect me to make friends, Thunderscum!"
"Friendly kit," Sandpaw spits. "That classic Shadowclan hospitality? No wonder everyone likes you guyssomuch."
"Brownpaw's just cranky! Waking up early is hard," Badgerpaw says. "Especially when we just left the nursery."
"'Just' is right," Sandpaw says. "I can still see the kitten fluff in your ears!"
Said ears pin back in embarrassment. "C'mon… I'm an apprentice just like you guys! What're things like in Thunderclan!?" He blinks. "Just, uh, generally or whatever. I'm not trying to make you spill any secrets."
Dustpaw snorts. "What secrets would we spill? Where the best spot in the dirtplace is? How to climb a tree?"
"You guys really climb trees!?"
"How do you think we catch birds?"
"Woah…"
"Dustpaw." The apprentice nearly leaps out of his fur at the sound of Redtail's voice right behind him. "Sandpaw, too. Come on. Something's strange about Shadowclan."
"Well, that's not very nice," Badgerpaw mutters.
"It's nothing against you, kit," Redtail shakes his head. "But Raggedstar isn't here. Has something happened to him?"
"Uh… I'm not really s'posed to talk about it…"
Redtail sighs. "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, then." He marches off to take his seat upon the Great Rock at Bluestar's side.
The ugly, mean-looking tom a tail-length away from Bluestar snorts. "Finally. Looks like Thunderclan knows how to rest on their laurels, if nothing else."
"Your wit is delightful, as always, Brokentail," Bluestar replies tonelessly. "Has something happened to Raggedstar?"
"Pah! The fool got himself killed by rogues!" He turns to address the crowd. "MeaningIam the leader of Shadowclan, Brokenstar! We have several strong apprentices to complement our seasoned warriors. I'll hear no worry about the sudden departure of my predecessor."
The tom beside him, with the twisted jaw that made Dustpaw a little sick looking at it, coughs. "Well, I can't say that Raggedstar was my favorite cat. But you seem a tad… unbothered by his passing? Were you not kin?"
"Kin who was fool enough to abandon his clan? I'll grieve in my own time, Crookedstar."
"I suppose you have a point."
"Well,thatsure is surprising," the long-eared black and white tom at the end of the Leader's Row huffed.'That must be Tallstar, then,' Dustpaw realized.'He sure looks upset. What's kinking his tail?'
"Is something the matter, Tallstar?" Brokenstar purred.
"Yes," Tallstar growled. "I'd like to know why Shadowclan warriors have been invading our territory, and attacking our camp!"
A ripple of anger washed through the assembled Windclan cats, hissing and snarling rippling through them as one.
'Well, they're certainly unified,'thought Dustpaw, paw over his ear.
Brokenstar scoffs. "Are you not willing to defend yourselves? We arewarriors,have you forgotten? I'll not steal from Windclan." He grins. "If I need something of yours, I'll let you know I'm taking it. Wearegrowing in number…"
"Fox-dung!" Tallstar hisses. "You haven't beentakinganything! You've been mindlessly attacking our warriors in our camp, and marking our borders!"
"Is this true?" Crookedstar grunts. "These are quite serious accusations to levy…"
"He practically admitted it just now!"
"Tallstar," Bluestar says. "Calm yourself." Her tail quirks upwards, pointing towards the shadowing moon. "Starclan is growing upset."
"Then it must be, surely, on Windclan's behalf! We are not in the position to be fending off constant attacks!" Tallstar's long ears flatten. "Please, Bluestar, Crookedstar. You must send aid."
Crookedstar shakes his head. "Is there no way to talk this out? Brokenstar, surely you could ease the pressure on Windclan?"
Brokenstar scoffs. "My, and leave Thunderclan to dry? What does Bluestar think of this?" he purrs, turning to her.
"... I shall deliberate with my clan over this coming moon."
"Bluestar!" Tallstar gasps. "Windclan requires aid immediately! We cannot take much more of this!"
"It is not our duty to defend your clan, Tallstar, callous though my words might seem," Bluestar sighs. "If this issue becomes any worse, then we shall aid you, but Thunderclan has its own troubles."
Tallstar's tail lashes. "And you, Crookedstar?"
"... I am sorry, Tallstar. It has been a rough leaf-bare for all of us."
Tallstar inhales, as though to curse him, but his tail slumps halfway through. "... I see."
Deadfoot, Windclan's deputy, growls. "It will not be Windclan alone who suffers. Remember that."
Tallstar quirks his tail, and Deadfoot silences. "Prey is running well," he says, "though we have no opportunities to catch it. That is all I feel I must share. Windclan!"
"Oh," Brokenstar purrs. "You're not going to stay for the rest of the Gathering? I hadsomuch to announce…"
"Silence, Brokenstar," Bluestar says, looking towards the moon, overtaken by shadow. "Starclan is displeased. I must wonder if I have made the right decision. Thunderclan!"
And that was that, Dustpaw guesses. Politics make his head spin.
"That was kinda cool," Sandpaw says. "I liked Raggedstar a lot better than the new tom, though."
"He's dizzy with power," Whitestorm scoffs. "I understand Bluestar's position, but no good can come of letting him run amok."
"Enough, Whitestorm," Bluestar says, passing through to lead the charge home as Crookedstar awkwardly excuses himself from the Great Rock. "I said I would deliberate and I shall. Thunderclan will not abandon Windclan to their deaths, should such a thing become reality."
"... Of course, Bluestar," Whitestorm says. His dark eyes slide back to the Great Rock, Brokenstar grooming himself casually with that white-furred tom sitting stoically at his side. "I understand."
'The Gathering was a lot shorter than I was expecting," Dustpaw thinks.'We didn't even get to announce anything! I hope the next one will be more normal.'
"Hey, Redtail?" Dustpaw asks, staring at the monolithic structures in the distance, the wrong-smelling miniature thunderpath where the weaker monsters scuttled past.
"Yeah?"
Dustpaw buries his finch, marking the spot. "You said you knew kittypets, right?"
"I said I knew kittypetswears,"Redtail chuckles. "Didn't think you'd be so curious, Mister Thunderclan Loyalist."
"Iamloyal!" Dustpaw insists. "Can't I be curious!?"
"I'm just messing with you," Redtail says. "You're too easy, Dustpaw." He smiles. "It's certainly made mentoring you a great time, on my end."
"... You're pretty cool too," Dustpaw mumbles. "B-But that's not what I was talking about…"
"Thanks," Redtail scents the air, cocking his head towards the Twolegplace. "Well, kittypets may be lazy and irresponsible, but that doesn't mean they're all carrion."
"But Tigerclaw says-"
"Tigerclaw says a lot of things," Redtail says, and his expression is more drawn that Dustpaw had ever seen him. "He had… a rough time with kittypets. A rough apprenticeship too. He turned out okay in the end, but… there are some mindsets that stick."
"It's in the Warrior Code, though," Dustpaw insists. "'A true warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet.'"
"Yeah? Are you planning to waltz on into a Twoleg den and chow down on their slop?"
"No!" Dustpelt's tail lashes. "Of course not!"
"Then what's the problem?" Redtail grins. "It's like the Gathering. We may fight with the other clans, but that doesn't mean we have to hate each other. It's a poison, Dustpaw. Makes you do things that you never thought you were capable of."
Dustpaw's fur itched a little. Redtail hadn't been so serious since he'd clawed Ravenpaw. "A-Are… you speaking from experience?"
"... A long time ago, Spottedleaf got hurt by someone we all trusted," Redtail says. "I… took care of it. But it changed me. 'A warrior doesn't need to kill to be victorious,' right?"
"Th-That's what the Warrior Code says…"
"It wasn't really a victory. Spottedleaf was still hurt. We were all still betrayed." Redtail's tail lashes. "But even then… I can't say I regret it. It's an ugly part of me, don't you think?"
"... There's ugly parts of me too," Dustpaw says. "But I'm not a bad cat. I don't think…"
"Well, then we can live with that, yeah?" Redtail rests his tail on Dustpaw's back. "A little ugly, but mostly handsome?"
"That doesn't sound too bad," Dustpaw says. "Um… Did you really kill that cat? Who were they?"
"Doesn't matter anymore," Redtail grins awkwardly. "Hey, uh… Don't tell Tigerclaw about this conversation, please? Or anybody? I… probably shouldn't have even told you that."
"I won't!"
'Ravenpaw can keep Tigerclaw,'Dustpaw thinks.'Redtail is the coolest!'
A short few sunrises after Graypaw is apprenticed, Bluestar and Lionheart walk into camp with a starry-eyed kittypet trailing after them.
Dustpaw sniffles, spitting out a bit of mucus. Maybe being sick isn't the worst if he gets to see somethingthishilarious. Sure, kittypets probably weren't bad cats, but one in Thunderclan's camp is probably the funniest thing he's seen the past moon.
"Hey," Spottedleaf growls. "Get back in here, Dustpaw. Redtail will kill me if you get any worse."
"'M fine," he says. "I gotta see this. There's a kittypet in camp, I can smell him from here."
"You're here to recover, not commentate," Spottedleaf huffs, rolling her eyes.
"C'mon, please!"
"Fine… Five minutes, that's it."
Dustpaw grins, sitting in the entryway of the Medicine den as the kittypet is introduced. Rusty, he's called, stupid little collar jingling with his movements. Dustpaw holds in a snort.
"What kind of a clan are we!?" Longtail howls. "Letting a kittypet into our camp!?"
"Rusty has agreed to shed his identity as a kittypet," Bluestar says. "He is young enough to separate himself from the softness of his former life."
"Fox-dung!" Longtail cusses, marching up to the ginger kittypet. "How are you going to hunt any prey with that bell announcing your presence all the way to Windclan!?"
Dustpaw expects the kittypet's face to twist in fear. Maybe he'll bolt on home to his twolegs and they'll all have a good laugh at Bluestar's expense. Not where she could hear, of course.
Instead, the kittypet's eye twitches in rage before hefliesinto Longtail's chest, tackling the fresh warrior to the ground. Dustpaw blinks in astonishment.
The kittypet seems to still have his claws, as he rakes them into Longtail's side, scrabbling to practically attach himself to the older cat's side and slicing through his ear.
Longtail howls in rage, wrapping his teeth around the kittypet's collar. He pulls and pulls and pulls, the ginger flailing the whole way, sending untrained claws into his side.
Just as Dustpaw thinks he's about to kill the poor fool, the collar snaps in half, dropping unceremoniously into the dirt.
Rusty hacks and coughs, leaping back to his feet. "How'sthatfor a housecat?" he growls. Longtail's eye twitches violently.
Bluestar, who had been watching the fight with twitching whiskers, leaps down from the Highrock. "You have certainly sufficed in proving your tenacity, Rusty. Though, in the future, try to resolve your disputes with words. At least concerning our clanmates."
"What!?" Longtail gasps, grooming his wounded ear. "You're letting him in afterthat!?"
"You seem embarrassed, mate," Rusty grins, andwow,the gall of this dumb Twoleg pet. Dustpaw laughs loudly enough to catch more than just Spottedleaf's attention.
"Oi! What's so funny!?" the kittypet yowls, glaring at him. Green eyes - pretty rare for Thunderclan.
"Nothing," Dustpaw cackles. "Surprisingly enough, I'm not laughing atyou."
"Shut your mouth, Dustpaw!" Longtail hisses.
"Enough," Bluestar shuts them down with a sweep of her tail. "This broken collar is a sign. Rusty has shed his former identity to be reborn as a clan cat."
"Rusty," she says, and the smirk on the kittypet's face dies, tail and ears perking. "Do you agree to take on the duties of an apprentice as would any clan-born cat?"
"Of course!"
She grins, even though sheshouldbe rebuking him for using the wrong phrase. "Then, from now on, you shall be known as Firepaw. I shall wait to assign you a mentor, until I can determine the best fit. Until then, please learn all you can from your denmates, and the senior warriors around camp." She turns to address the clan as a whole. "If Firepaw has any questions about warrior life, I expect them to be answered honestly and earnestly. If Firepaw exhibits any…strangeunderstandings of our way of life, I will be rather upset."
A general murmur of reluctant agreement ripples through the camp. Dustpaw rolls his eyes. He wishes Sandpaw wasn't out hunting, she would havelovedthis.
"Now, Firepaw, Longtail," Bluestar says, "both of you report to the medicine den. We don't need those wounds getting infected."
"Got it!" Firepaw, Dustpaw guesses, grins wide. "You can count on me!"
"... I'm just asking you to go to the medicine den, Firepaw," Bluestar's whiskers twitch. "I think you'll manage."
"Haha, right…" Firepaw grins awkwardly as Longtail shoves past Dustpaw, ears a burning red.
"You know," Dustpaw says as Firepaw approaches. "I should thank you. It's not every day that I get to watch something so funny."
"Yeah?" Firepaw chuffs. "Glad I made such a good impression, mate."
Dustpaw sniffs. "'Mate'? We're both toms!"
"Not what that means," Firepaw laughs. "Let's get along, yeah? I'm serious about this warrior thing, y'know. Just feels…right."
"Just don't go crying home to your twolegs now," Dustpaw coughs. "And you might not want to get too close to me. I don't want to ruin your precious kittypet lungs."
"I don't get sick too easily," he says.
"That's easy to say until you've got greencough, mouse-brain."
"'Mouse-brain'?" Firepaw repeats. "That your way of calling me a moron?"
"A what?"
"Nothing, mate, nothing," he says, walking into the den.
'Well, he'll be fun,'Dustpaw thinks,'make friends outside of the clan, right? He'll hold out a few sunrises until he runs off to fill his belly.'
Dustpaw blows his nose into the leaves Spottedleaf had given him. Ugh. At least it's not greencough.
Dustpaw basks in the moment of peace. It's nice not having to run off hunting or battle training. Great, now the kittypet laziness is infectinghim.
"Thanks!" Fireheart calls back to Spottedleaf, walking back to the front of the den. "Hey, you mind showing me what's what? It's not as big as the town, but it's still awful roomy around here."
Dustpaw sighs. "Yeah, yeah. They didn't tell you a thing, huh?"
"Just the basics, mate. It was enough to sell me."
Dustpaw squints. "Youdohave a brain rattling in that skull of yours, right?"
"Who knows?" Firepaw chuckles. "I've sure never seen it."
"Well, whatever." Dustpaw gestures to the apprentice den. "This is where us apprentices sleep.Don'tsteal my nest. And whatever you do, don't steal Sandpaw's. She'll turn your fur into new bedding."
"G-Got it," Firepaw gulps. "Bit intense, eh?"
"She's twice as mean as me," Dustpaw laughs. "You're just lucky I think you're funny."
"So I'm a joke to you, eh?"
Dustpaw shakes his head. "Come on. Might as well show you how to build a nest."
Firepaw follows him into the den. Graypaw, the lazy lump, pokes his head out from his nest. His eyes widen. "Hey, Rusty! You decided to join the clan, then!?"
"Yup. Brand new Thunderclan apprentice, I am."
Dustpaw's eyes narrow. "You two know each other?"
"I'm surprised you're being so courteous, Dustpaw!" Graypaw laughs, leaping to tackle Firepaw. He ducks to the side far too easily. Graypaw's mentor needs to work on his agility. Though, Dustpaw supposes Lionheart isn't the quickest cat in the clan either. "I only met him a few sunrises ago! Some smart-mouthed kittypet looking to eatmymouse!"
"I already apologized, didn't I?" Firepaw chuffs.
"I knew you'd make it! You got that warrior spirit in you!"
Firepaw's ears grow red, and he flattens them. "Yeah, yeah… We'll see, I s'pose."
"Well, come on, let's make you a n-"
A yowl cuts off Graypaw's words. Smallear's, Dustpaw realizes. The apprentices crash into each other, trying to squeeze out of the den entrance.
"There's someone rushing towards camp!" the elder yowls. "Defensive positions!"
"Wait, you halfwit!" Darkstripe growls. "That's one of our own!"
Ravenpaw burst into his camp, fur wet with tears. Dustpaw's head swims. What had madeRavenpaw,of all cats, so terrified? And where was-
"Redtail isdead!" Ravenpaw screeches, fur puffed out and shaking like a leaf and that was wrong.
Dustpaw's vision blurs, chest suddenly drenched like a Riverclanner's fur. "Wh-What…?" he rasps.
"Starclan…" Graypaw murmurs. "R-Really? They were just on- I'm so sorry, Dustpaw…"
"That's… a lie," Dustpaw chokes, staggering towards his lying idiot brother. "That's not funny, Ravenpaw. Don't make up stories like that…"
"D-Dustpaw," Ravenpaw pants, fangs chattering, staring at him with bloodshot eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I- I'm…"
Ravenpaw collapses. Dustpaw stares, paws quaking.
He thinks somebody's asking him something, but it's all just noise. Useless, obnoxious noise. Dustpaw gasps for air.
Then, Tigerclaw walks solemnly into camp, Redtail's body across his back, a trail of gore dripping from his throat.
This isn't real. Kittypets fighting warriors in their own camp, his unflappable brother sobbing like a kitten, Redtail dead.
Dustpaw laughs, voice cracking. "Redtail…? Redtail…"
"He was killed by Oakheart in battle," Tigerclaw says, laying his body in the center of camp, his limp head tilting upwards for Dustpaw to see the ugly truth. Four jagged slash marks, from the bottom of Redtail's chin to the top of his chest, ripping the life and soul straight from his body and leaving Dustpaw withnothing.
He's crying again, like he had when he was a kitten and Fuzzypelt stopped visiting, when Mama never came home, when his brother had made himburnwith anger.
He's burning again. It hurt worse than it ever had before, compounded on itself over and over as he shoves his face into Redtail's cold, motionless body, no warmth carried in his fur, his grin.
"Fuck me," that kittypet whispers behind him, voice trembling. "That's… Who would do something like that?"
"Shut up," Dustpelt hisses, quaking violently. He doesn't move his muzzle from Redtail's fur. "Shut up, shut up, shut up…"
"I- I'm sorry, I-"
"Shut up! Get out of here, kittypet!" Dustpawburnsagain with anger and humiliation and a swirling abundance of Starclan knows what. All he knows is that Firepaw needs to leave him and Redtail alone, or he's going tokill him.
"... Alright, mate. I-" the kittypet swallows. "I'll catch you around, I guess…"
"Just run home!" Dustpaw growls thickly. "Leave us be…"
He's burning, and Firepaw was the only warning. Fur like flames in the dark of the forest, tearing through Redtail's throat until the flesh is mangled and wrong.
Dustpaw sobs.