Life 4:1
Snakekit awoke to the familiar scent of pine. He pulled himself free from the nest, stretching out and feeling an aching pain from both his chest and a point on his back. They were consistent with where he'd been impaled in his last life. Checking himself over, he had a visible and fresh scar on his chest as if it had just been freshly healed. While he couldn't see the point on his back, he knew he had another scar there as well. The raw pink skin looked strange against his usually darker pelt. It stood out against his leopard pattern. This was not a scar that would simply fade away or disappear beneath his fur. It would always be visible through this life, giving a faint twinge as he stretched his muscles, reminding him that his martyrdom always had a cost.
Regardless of his current scars, today was the start of a new life. As said once before, Shadowclan was always one of Snakekit's favorite lives to live. Not that there was anything wrong with how the other clans lived, but Snakekit always identified with Shadowclan's way of life more. On impulse, Snakekit lifted his right front leg and held it left as far as it would go, giving what was traditionally known as the Shadowclan salute. Though his voice was soft and the salute was generally reserved for warriors, Snakekit couldn't help saying its mantra once to remind himself what it meant to be Shadowclan.
"We survive. We thrive. Shadowclan overcomes." He mewed, his voice full of conviction.
With that, Snakekit left the nursery, leaving behind several queens who were confused at the sight of the kit and couldn't quite place how that salute was familiar to them having lost the practice some time during Raggedstar's rule. Snakekit padded out with confidence, ready to see where his new life led. To struggle was to have purpose. Shadowclan existed to struggle, to defy fate, to survive where others could not. To be Shadowclan was to know that you'd never live a comfortable life with easy access to food and medicine. Nor would you want it anyways. By surviving the ordeals placed before you, you'd achieve a strength no others could bear. In a battle of wills and ingenuity, Shadowclan always wins.
Snakekit approached the leader's point, ready to receive his name and master, as has been done many times over. Despite this, Snakekit was always giddy with anticipation for his apprenticeship. Who would be his master this time? What would they teach him? What would he teach them? He was antsy with anticipation. Then a familiar tom emerged from the leader's den. His amber eyes, dark form, and giant claws gave away who it was. It was Tigerstar, formerly of Thunderclan. Those large claws clicked against the wood of the High Branch. He looked like an alpha predator perched up there. His fierce eyes locked onto Snakekit, now having grown a bit wise to Snakekit's nature but still not understanding it. To Tigerstar it was strange to see the kit again, having noted their anomalous nature when they'd been in Thunderclan and having seen them again in Riverclan. On top of that, Snakekit seemed to bear no malice towards Tigerstar despite having foiled his attempt at making a Tigerclan, now restricted to having the Tiger Alliance instead. Snakekit only looked up at him respectfully and expectantly. A faint name whispered in Tigerstar's mind which he chose to ignore.
"Snake…kit." He tested, getting a slight nod from the anomaly. Tigerstar could see the rest of Shadowclan watching him expectantly. He knew this was supposed to be an apprentice ceremony. While Tigerstar was their leader, he didn't have their undying trust yet. He needed to go through the motions. "Snakekit. You are now six moons of age. You shall be known as Snakepaw. I shall be the one to mentor you." Tigerstar mewed, wanting to maintain control of the anomaly and prevent it from influencing his control.
Snakepaw trotted over, keeping himself respectful as he waited to touch noses with Tigerstar. Tigerstar stood in front of the apprentice warily before leaning down to complete the ceremony. Their noses met, but then Snakepaw saluted Tigerstar with the traditional Shadowclan salute and a half bow. "Shadowclan overcomes." He mewed.
While Snakepaw's behavior was strange to some, the reaction of the elders was equally confusing. They mimicked the salute of Snakepaw with a half bow and repeated his words. "Shadowclan overcomes."
Tigerstar didn't understand what just happened, but he liked it. This show of fealty made him preen slightly. While he'd have preferred something that specifically mentioned him by name, he liked that they'd pledged themselves to his position as Shadowclan's leader. If he could somehow train the rest of the clan to be that loyal, he'd have a respectable fighting force. Right now Tigerstar, Blackfoot, and the former rogues were pulling all the weight. Shadowclan itself didn't want to fight, to claim dominance. That display briefly flipped that. Those elders, so keen on having a relaxing retirement, looked ready to fight and die for their clan for the briefest moment. He wanted that. By the Darkforest, he wanted all of Shadowclan to be like that, and he'd have it if he had anything to say about it. Snakepaw, the apprentice and anomaly he was so wary of was his chance to bring Shadowclan back into fighting shape, to make them loyal to him alone. Yes. His new apprentice was his chance to get everything he wanted.
"Come with me." Tigerstar ordered, gesturing to the camp entrance.
Dutifully, Snakepaw followed. Tigerstar led him out a ways to Shadowclan's training grounds. There was still some fresh bits of blood on the muddy ground from the rogues training their fighting skills with claws out. To most, it would be an intimidating sight, but Snakepaw had long ago become desensitized against the sight of violence or gore. He sat quietly, waiting for Tigerstar to speak.
Tigerstar moved in front of the apprentice, getting a bit in his face. "I want you to tell me what you did. I want to know why those elders acted that way. Tell me." He ordered.
"I simply gave the Shadowclan salute. Admittedly, I hadn't expected it to have so little of an effect. Based on who actually responded to it, I imagine it was lost during Raggedstar's reign. Honestly, I'm a bit sad to see such a weak response. It used to be that every able bodied cat in the camp would give the salute when called upon. Shadowclan overcomes. That's what it means to be Shadowclan. We struggle, fight, survive, thrive, and win. We believe, or used to believe, that purpose can only be found through overcoming ordeals. Shadowclan is the clan who'd storm the Darkforest if given the chance. The long version of the salute is 'We survive. We thrive. Shadowclan overcomes.'" Snakepaw explained.
Tigerstar smiled at the very idea of an entire clan saluting him. He wanted to see it, every cat holding the salute with heads bowed to him. He looked down at his new apprentice, a scheme hatching in his head. "How would you like to revive this loyalty?" He asked.
"Nothing would please me more." Snakepaw answered confidently.
Tigerstar maliciously laughed to himself. Power was within his grasp.