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Post by Eagleh on May 24, 2010 13:32:30 GMT -5
prologue
The air was warm and hazy as it drifted around trees, bathing the forest in a deep fog. The grey mist surrounded sturdy oaks and bending birches as it drowned the woods in a deep, moist atmosphere.
Located somewhere in the never-ending forest of trees was a clearing. The ground was dusty, and a large rock jutted out on one side. In the center of the clearing was a small pool. The water was strangely clear, and it sparkled with the reflection of the full moon.
Hidden by the mist, a group of cats gathered around the pool. They looked like phantoms, bathed in the moonlight and fog. A small white and orange she-cat sat on the edge of the pool, looking down into it with wide green eyes.
Beside her, a brown tabby patched with cinnamon watched the pool. He barely stirred, only his restless amber eyes moving. He curled the tip of his tail, casting an unreadable glance towards the large boulder.
A slight silver she-cat with thick black stripes was perched on the top of the rock. Though she was smaller than the golden tabby that sat at the base, her eyes flashed with authority, and she sat straight with confidence. She looked down at him, and he met her strong gaze before looking away.
The tabby twisted his ears towards the pool, but he didn’t move. His lithe tail slashed through the fog as his eyes look upwards. He appeared to be waiting for something.
Four other cats stood at the fringes of the clearing, three toms and a she-cat. The first was a massive black tom. His amber eyes glinted as he took soft steps towards the pool. The ginger and white she-cat moved nimbly out of the way as he stared down into its clear depths.
The she-cat came next, boldly brushing past the brown tabby sitting at the edge. He looked up at the tortoiseshell, but said nothing as she joined the black tom.
The last two walked towards the pool together, their matching black-and-white coats shining in the moonlight. Without a word, they sat on the other side of the pool. Then the larger one looked up at the silver tabby on the rock, his strange green eyes glittering.
The she-cat on the rock leapt down and padded towards the pool. The golden tom rose with her and they walked to the circle of other cats around the pool. The brown tabby and the ginger and white she-cat moved over slightly, so that all of the cats surrounded the pool in a perfect circle.
“We’re all here, Streamstar,” murmured the black-and-white tom with the green eyes. His voice was deep and husky, his tone flat.
The silver she-cat twitched her whiskers to acknowledge his speech, but she kept her eyes on the pool.
“Have they gathered yet?” the golden tabby asked roughly, digging his claws into the hard-packed ground.
“Have patience, Ivystar,” murmured the long-haired brown tabby, eyeing Streamstar thoughtfully.
The assembled cats watched the silver she-cat silently until her head jerked up suddenly. She met Ivystar’s green gaze with her amber one. “Yes,” she murmured, “They’ve gathered. The Gathering has begun.”
Streamstar looked around the assembled cats. She flicked her tail at the black tom and the white and black cat with the odd green eyes. “Largeclaw, Mintfur. You two stay here and watch from afar while the rest of us go down.”
Largeclaw and Mintfur nodded respectfully. Mintfur curled his mottled tail over his paws, watching Streamstar as she dipped her forepaws into the pool and then leapt in. Her body disappeared into the clear pool, a sight that the assembled cats seemed to be used to.
Ivystar turned to the brown tabby. “Alright, Elmstar. You’re next.”
Elmstar twitched his whiskers, shooting a bemused glance at the golden tom. “No need to be rough, Ivystar,” he murmured, before launching himself into the pool and disappearing.
Mintfur looked at the orange and white she-cat. She met his gaze before looking away like she had been stung. “Go next, then, Sorrelstar,” he mewed softly.
She nodded, still not meeting Mintfur’s gaze. “I hope the Gathering goes as well as last time.”
Ivystar watched her with impassive eyes as she stepped daintily into the pool. She vanished immediately, and the massive golden tom turned to the black-and-white tom that sat beside his brother. “Sagepelt, you go next.”
Sagepelt nodded, pressing his muzzle briefly against Mintfur’s flank before he stepped into the water. “Maybe you’ll come next time. Hopefully this one won’t be eventful, anyway.”
Mintfur twitched his whiskers as he looked stoically at Sagepelt. “I know. Go on.”
Sagepelt gave one last look to his brother before stepping in to the water and vanishing from sight.
Largeclaw heaved a sigh, looking at the tortoiseshell she-cat who was watched Ivystar expectantly. “I expect you’re going next, Grasscloud.”
She looked at Ivystar, who nodded. Grasscloud sighed and took in a deep breath, dipping herself into the pool and vanishing.
Ivystar climbed up to the rocks at the edge of the pool. “Be careful now, you two,” he mewed gruffly. “You never know what might happen.”
The battled-scarred tom’s steely green eyes glinted, and he dived into the pool. Mintfur climbed up on the rocks and Largeclaw followed suit. The two toms prepared to watch the Gathering from their positions of the rocks.
They sat there in silence, watching the events below. They could see the outlines of the StarClan cats in the sky and the dark shapes of the leaders as they sat on the rocks. Cats milled around below, talking and mewing. Then silence came as the dark figure on the first rock began to speak. There were yowls of outrage and then the grey and white tom on the next rock began to speak. Cats hissed and yowled, unsheathing their claws and a fight began.
Mintfur gasped as he watched the other StarClan cats desperately attempt to cover the moon. Lightening flashed and the forest shook. Beside him, he could feel Largeclaw trembling.
He heaved a sigh of relief when the clouds crossed the moon and the grey and white tom took notice. He yowled an order to stop, but none of the cats stopped. They continued to fight, blood staining the hollow.
“Mintfur,” whispered Largeclaw, the black tom breaking the silence. “They haven’t stopped.”
“I noticed,” Mintfur mewed, eyes wide as saucers. The StarClan cat had lost his composure as he watched Sorrelstar down below. The leaders who had gone down to watch the Gathering were now panicking, their fur on end.
Then the most terrifying thing happened. Light blazed from above as the moon broke through again. The silhouettes of the StarClan cats down below began to vanish, as if some darker power was tearing at them. Mintfur’s mouth went dry. “No!” he cried out, preparing to leap into the pool.
Largeclaw’s fangs closed over his scruff. “There’s something down there. If it attacks, we might not be able to save them!”
Mintfur searched for words, but the patched tom couldn’t find any. He looked down angrily, tail lashing. Largeclaw kept watching the Gathering through the pool.
Try as he might, Mintfur couldn’t distract himself from the tragedy below. He looked down into the pool again, feeling Largeclaw stiffen beside him. When Mintfur looked down, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
The moon shone as brilliantly as ever, and all the Clans were fighting each other. There seemed to be no hope to save the Gathering. A dark and menacing presence hung in the air, and yowls pierced the sky. But worst of all was something that made Mintfur’s stomach clench and sent prickles of fear down his spine.
The StarClan cats were gone.
NOTE. Short chapter. Next one will be really long and so is the next. Then they settle down a bit (:
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Post by Eagleh on May 30, 2010 7:39:41 GMT -5
chapter one The weather was stormy; not at all perfect. The sun was hidden behind numerous clouds, each one darker than the last. The sky was a dark grey, and ominous rumbling noises signalled a storm ahead. Trees stood tall against the buffeting wind, but the smaller ones creaked and groaned in concession. The grass was moving softly, and the creeks were chilled. The wind howled down the empty plains until it hit a barrier. The barrier, in this case, was a car.
The red car drove along at a fairly steady pace on the road. A male with short brown hair and a blue sweater drove it. Beside him sat a female with long blonde hair and a white blouse. In the back seat, large containers of food and bags of clothes were set down. Lying on a brown leather bag was a she-cat.
Maybel woke with a start, resting her stout black-and-white head on her paws. She yawned slightly, licking her ruffled white chest fur down. Her amber eyes kept watch on the road ahead. She was in the belly of her Housefolk’s monster as it roared along the sticky black path. They were on the way to the Wildplace, a house made of trees where they went every year. Every year to get there, they travelled on the path that went alongside the dump.
The dump was a large building and fenced off area where rotten items and food where placed. It smelled awful, and Maybel wrinkled her soft nose every time they passed by it. But this time, as she closed her white and black muzzle to avoid scenting it, she thought that she scented a small bit of cat. Maybel sighed, licking her paws. If there was a cat out here, it wasn’t her problem. The cat’s Housefolk should have taken better care of it. The monster continued to roll on and Maybel shut her eyes as she rubbed her back against the leather and nestled into a comfy position. She was just settling down for a nap when the monster made a large and sickening crunch. The male Housefolk in the front yelled something and the monster rolled to a halt. Confused, Maybel leapt up and into the lap of the female Housefolk to see out the front window.
The male Housefolk opened his door and stepped out of the monster. He made grunting sounds and hopped back into the car. With a baffled meow, Maybel leapt up onto the dashboard as the monster began to roll backwards. It stopped again, and this time both Housefolk got up. Hoping that they wouldn’t notice her, Maybel jumped out as well.
Her paws connected with the sticky pavement and she fought to keep her balance. The female Housefolk made a desperate grab for her, but missed as the black-and-white she-cat padded forward. She stopped, eyes wide in horror at the sight that awaited her at the front of the monster.
A lithe ginger cat was laying there, his leg seemingly crushed. His face was wide and his brilliant green eyes were clouded with pain. His fur was a pale ginger, coated with darker tabby markings. His paws, underbelly and muzzle were white. Maybel’s eyes met his and the she-cat gasped in horror. “What happened?”
The tom simply glared at her before twisting his head and spitting on the ground behind one of the black paws of the monster. “Got hit by a monster, kittypet.”
“Kittypet?” Maybel asked, blinking in confusion. She had no idea what it meant, but it sounded like an insult.
“Kittypet,” echoed the lean ginger tom, a scoff plain in his voice. “You live with Twolegs. Soft, posh and plump. If it was you lying down her, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“Twolegs?” Maybel asked, confused once more. “You mean by Housefolk?”
“Yeah, whatever,” sneered the tom. “Your Twolegs ran me over. It’s not that hard to figure out, kittypet.”
“Stop calling me that!” growled Maybel, leaning down towards the tom. At that moment, she became aware that her Housefolk were watching them with confused expressions on their faces. “Anyways, are your legs broken?”
“Crushed,” the tom told her, but this time his voice was empty of insult. “I can probably still drag myself on my front paws, though. I need to get back to my Clan...”
“Clan?” Maybel blinked. “You should stay here! I’m sure my Housefolk will bring you to the vet and you’ll be fixed up in no time.”
“The Cutter?” the tom’s eyes went wide as saucers. “I’m not going to the Cutter. I’d rather die than be fixed and healed by Twolegs. There’s no pride in that.”
“There’s no shame in it, either!” mewed Maybel, hissing at the pale hand of the female Housefolk. “You’re injured!”
“There’s a medicine cat in my Clan who can fix me,” the tom mewed, and his eyes misted over with though. “Hey, kittypet, maybe you could fetch some of my Clanmates for me.”
“What?” asked Maybel, astounded. “Find some of your... Clanmates?”
The ginger tom nodded his broad head, twisting his orange ears in pain. “Go down into the swamp past the Carrionplace. Look for a ShadowClan patrol. I’m going to try to crawl over into that tunnel below the Thunderpath. There’s a hollow where your Twolegs won’t be able to grab me. If you distract them by running away, I can get away without them noticing.”
“A ShadowClan patrol?” Maybel looked at him strangely.
“A group of cats patrolling our territory,” spat the ginger tom, green eyes unfriendly. “Tell them that Blazestripe is wounded by the Thunderpath near Mothermouth. Tell them to bring Whiteflower. If I’m gone, it’s because the Twolegs took me.”
“Blazestripe?” asked Maybel curiously. “Is that you, then?”
“Just go, kittypet!” yowled the tom, attracting the attention of the Housefolk. “Distract your Twolegs!”
Maybel turned her narrow head towards the swamp, where everything was dark and wet. Her mouth felt dry as she tried to find the words to describe the terror she felt. “In there?”
Blazestripe dug his claws into crevices on the black road, pulling himself slightly. The Housefolk noticed his movement and watched him, somewhat astounded by the fact that the injured cat was pulling himself away. “Kittypet!”
Maybel gulped, shot one last look at her Housefolk, and darted into the forest. She could hear their frantic calls behind her as the male Housefolk came crashing through the brush bordering the swamp. The black-and-white she-cat only looked back once to see the lean ginger wildcat crawling down the edge of the Thunderpath. She hoped that he had gotten away. She didn’t understand anything that he had said about a Clan, but it was obvious that it was important the ginger tom.
Her paws sunk into a bog and she yowled in surprise, leaping out of it. On her left, she could see the outline of the dump receding. That must be the Carrionplace, she decided as she sped farther into the swamp. The stunted trees disappeared, to be replaced with reeds and muddy terrain. Maybel skidded to a halt before the ground turned into a thick marsh. Her fur was bristled and her amber eyes were wide. She was lost and scared.
Taking a slow step back, she looked around. Seeing nothing but pools of murky water and twisted shrubs, Maybel licked her muzzle in fear. The ground seemed flat, but she couldn’t see any hint of her Housefolk’s red monster in the distance. She must have travelled in circles or downhill without noticing it. Shivering, she opened her mouth to scent. The scent of the bog was putrid and it burned her tongue as she tried to find other cats.
“Hello?” Maybel called, her fear-scent escaping with each rapid breath. “Is anyone there?”
There was no answer, and the fur on Maybel’s spine was beginning to prickle. It felt like someone was watching her. She took a step backwards, her white hind paws running into a stump. She licked her white and black muzzle nervously. Opening her mouth to call again, Maybel found that she couldn’t get the words out. Her mouth was dry from the anxiety and the acrid stench of the swamp. Pricking her ears, Maybel took the best defensive posture she could think of and let her claws dig into the marshy ground. “Anyone?”
There was a crack behind her, like the sound of a twig snapping. Maybel whirled around, neck fur fluffing up. Her tail was sticking straight up as she asked, “Hello, anyone there?”
The sound of paw-steps resounded in her ears and Maybel took another step backwards only to whirl around when she heard a noise from behind her. She opened her mouth to scent, but she could taste the swamp. Sounds came from all sides, and finally Maybel couldn’t take it anymore.
She ran. The she-cat leapt to the side, paws thudding against the ground. She took long strides, but Maybel knew she was no match for the lean forest cats if Blazestripe was any example to follow. The she-cat didn’t get far.
She stepped on a marshy patch of ground and the grass underneath gave way. He tumbled into a pool of water, the shock chilling her to the bone as the cold crept in. All around her, the grass stayed perfectly still. Not feeling the bottom, Maybel kicked with her hind legs and reached forwards to grasp a piece of ground floating near her. Her triumph didn’t last, however. The patch of seemingly stable ground gave way beneath her weight and dissolved into the water. With horror, Maybel realized that she was in one large swamp that was hidden beneath false ground.
Trying to prove her theory false, she grasped at another piece of ground. But it was also just floating peat, and the she-cat was sent tumbling through the water. Her paws grazed the murky bottom and the mud caught them, holding the she-cat underneath the water. She tried to kick and squirm, but she couldn’t break the surface. Maybel felt panic overcome her.
She had been trying to help Blazestripe, that was all. Why had she tried to help him, anyways? Now she was going to drown at the bottom of a murky swamp, and her Housefolk would never know what had happened to her. She was going to die, Blazestripe was going to die.
Desperately, Maybel made one last effort to reach the surface. It failed, and the she-cat cringed underwater. She was running out of air. Resignedly, Maybel closed her eyes and let the blackness take her.
The next thing that the black-and-white she-cat felt was a strong sensation tugging at her scruff. Her head broke the surface of the way as strong jaws carried her up out of the swamp. Her waterlogged body was placed roughly onto the dirty ground, and Maybel opened her eyes to see three lean forms glaring down at her.
The one in front was a large gold tabby. Once he saw that Maybel was awake, he lunged at her, snapping at her face. Maybel leapt back, fur on end. She ran her eyes over the tom’s golden body. He was lean, with large muscles that rippled under his thick pelt. Scars crossed over his shoulders, and his light amber eyes were full of distrust. “Kittypet,” he hissed angrily.
“Are you from ShadowClan?” the words tumbled out of Maybel’s mouth as she took in the forms of the other two cats. There was a lithe black she-cat with golden eyes full of hostility. The other cat was tiny in comparison and he still had some of his kit fur. He was a pale brown tabby, and his watery green eyes held only curiosity.
The golden tom lunged at her again, neck fur fluffing up again. “What are you doing on our territory, kittypet?”
“Looking for Whiteflower!” Maybel blurted out, cringing away the battle-scarred tom.
The tom was about to snap again, but he stopped suddenly. His light amber eyes narrowed. “How do you know about Whiteflower? Just who are you, kittypet?”
Maybel was aware of the small brown tom circling her, kit fur fluffed up. The she-cat came around the other side, watching Maybel warily. Swallowing nervously, Maybel met the golden tom’s gaze. “My Housefolk ran over Blazestripe with our monster. He sent me to find you and get Whiteflower. He’s in a tunnel under the Thunderpath! The one near.. Uh... Mothermouth and the... Carrionplace!”
The hostility in the tom’s eyes was replaced with concern, and he turned towards the brown tom. “Rockpaw, run back to camp and get Whiteflower. Meet us by the Thunderpath near Carrionplace,” the tabby turned to the black she-cat. “Nightwing, you lead the way.”
“Yes Goldenear,” replied the she-cat, and the two ShadowClan cats prepared to run off through the swamp terrain.
“Wait!” yowled Maybel, eyes wide with fear.
Goldenear turned back towards her, eyes cold. “What, kittypet?”
“Are you just going to leave me here?” the she-cat asked nervously, scuffling her white feet on the ground.
The black she-cat spat and turned away, leaving Goldenear staring blankly at her. Something must have passed through his mind, because understanding came into his eyes. “Right. Can you find your way back yourself? We need to get to Blazestripe quickly, and you’ll just slow us down. Especially if you fall in a swamp again.”
Maybel’s fur burned with embarrassment. “I won’t fall again. But I don’t want to be just left here.”
“C’mon, Goldenear, let’s go,” Nightwing mewed to Goldenear, ignoring Maybel.
Goldenear nodded as he looked at her before turning back to Maybel once more. “Try to keep up, kittypet. But we won’t stop for you.”
“Alright,” Maybel mewed nervously, waiting for Goldenear or Nightwing to signal their departure. She was completely taken by surprise when the two cats just darted off into the brush. Startled, Maybel scrambled after them. She followed their paw-prints in the marshy ground, hoping that she didn’t run into a bog by accident like last time.
They leapt over some grassy hillocks and by a copse of stunted trees. Maybel was tiring quickly as the Clan cats began to fade from her sight. Were they every going to find Blazestripe? She was just about to give up when the rotten stench of crowfood entered her mouth. They were almost there!
Maybel caught up with Goldenear and Nightwing at the edge of the thin line of trees. They could see her Housefolk standing outside the car. The female appeared to be shedding water from her eyes. The male was holding her and murmuring soft noises. Below, they could just see the ginger outline of Blazestripe at the entrance to the silver tunnel.
Goldenear flicked his tail. “Blazestripe, let’s go!” he hissed, sticking his golden maw out of the bushes.
Blazestripe looked up, pinpointing the sound with his ears. “Goldenear?” he called, then he scented the air. “Nightwing? Kittypet?”
“Maybel!” hissed Maybel at the arrogant ginger warrior. As much as she hated to admit it, the she-cat admired him for the way that he dealt with the pain. If all ShadowClan cats were like this, they couldn’t be that bad.
The mew attracted the attention of the Housefolk, and the three cats had to duck back into the bracken. Goldenear swept his tail over Nightwing and Maybel’s mouths and ran quickly down the gutter and into the tunnel.
Nightwing left Maybel’s side, running down the slope and mewing loudly. She distracted the Housefolk while Goldenear helped Blazestripe get back to the safety of the bracken. When Nightwing returned, the three crouched down between the roots of a large and sturdy tree. Maybel leaned over to look at Blazestripe. “Are you alright?” she asked him nervously.
“Yeah,” Blazestripe’s eyes sparkled, then he winced. “Thanks, kittypet.”
“Maybel,” she corrected him, and Blazestripe acknowledged her with a flick of his ear. “Well, Maybel, you sure earned my respect today. You found a patrol, which was quite good for a tame kitty. I’m surprised you didn’t drown.”
“She did,” growled Goldenear, in a surly mood as he glared at Maybel. “I had to save her.”
Blazestripe chuckled and pulled his muzzle over so he could lick his chest. Nightwing helped groomed his fur free of rocks and debris from the Thunderpath and the tunnel. “Where’s Whiteflower?”
“The medicine cat should be coming soon,” Goldenear told him, looking back in the direction where Maybel had found them. “I sent Rockpaw to go get her.”
“Good,” mewed Blazestripe. He looked around as if expecting to see Rockpaw pop out at him from around the corner. His green eyes met Maybel’s amber ones, and the black-and-white she-cat looked away.
There was a slight silence, interrupted only by Blazestripe’s methodical grooming. Maybel was feeling awkward just sitting there. Eventually, Goldenear blinked and turned towards her. “Why are you still here, kittypet?”
“I-” started Maybel, getting to her paws. She wished that they would stop calling her kittypet. What if she hadn’t been in the monster that had run over Blazestripe? He might have died.
“Your Twolegs are probably wondering where you are,” Goldenear continued, licking his paw with a conceited expression on his face.
Maybel felt anger growing deep in her core. “My Housefolk can wait. I want to make sure Blazestripe is alright!”
Goldenear’s expression grew stormy. “Our medicine cat is highly trained. Besides, what can you do about it? Sit here and watch? That’s not useful, kittypet.”
“She did save me,” Blazestripe put in mildly, cringing as a fresh wave of pain overcame him.
“I’m only seven moons,” Maybel agreed, standing up straight. “My Housefolk will find another cat.”
Her latest comment was met with silence. Blazestripe and Goldenear stared at her with wide eyes as they tried to register what she had said. It was Nightwing who broke the silence. “What are you trying to say, kitty- Maybel?” she asked quietly, digging her claws into the ground.
Maybel took in a deep breath and let out slowly. “I want to join ShadowClan,” she announced.
“Kittypets can’t become Clan warriors,” Blazestripe said automatically. Maybel shot him a dark glance, and the ginger tom shrugged.
Goldenear agreed with a nod and mew before turning to glare at the black-and-white she-cat. Before Maybel could defend herself, Nightwing interrupted. “She did save Blazestripe, Goldenear. She risked the dangers of the swamp just to help another cat. She shows compassion.”
Maybel looked at Nightwing, surprised to have an ally in the black she-cat. Nightwing looked back, her eyes emotionless. Before Goldenear could respond, Nightwing continued. “You know ThunderClan attacks have been getting worse. We need all the warriors we can get. The kittypet looks like she could make a good one.”
“Compassion may be a good thing in a queen or a medicine cat, Nightwing, but not in a warrior,” mewed Blazestripe, glancing at Goldenear.
Goldenear nodded. “It is true that we need more warriors, Nightwing, and the kittypet may make a good one. But she probably only wants to join because we can provide shelter and friendship for her. She’s seen the way we took care of Blazestripe. She only sees that we care for each other. She won’t be able to fight or to hunt like a Clanborn cat. It’ll make her weak during battle.”
“Her compassion will prevent unnecessary killings and it would help her better understand her enemies during battle,” Nightwing spat back, glaring Goldenear down.
Goldenear got up and stood his ground. “I say no.”
“I say that we let Ryestar decide,” Blazestripe put in as he kept watch for Rockpaw and Whiteflower.
“Ryestar?” whispered Maybel, with a sidelong glance at Goldenear and Nightwing glaring at each other.
“ShadowClan’s leader,” replied Blazestripe. Both cats were painfully aware of the tension in the air.
Just as it seemed Goldenear was about to explode with anger, a soft and melodic voice pierced the air. “Are we interrupting anything?” the speaker was a small white she-cat with wise amber eyes and a long tail. Just by seeing the way Goldenear stopped the bow to her, Maybel could tell that this cat was Whiteflower.
“The kittypet here wanted to join ShadowClan,” drawled Blazestripe, shifting so Whiteflower could come and examine his legs.
“Did she?” Whiteflower looked over Maybel, her gaze curious and calm. She turned back to Blazestripe. “That’s for Ryestar to decide. Not you, Goldenear,” she added with a good-natured flick of her tail.
Goldenear grunted and looked back at Maybel as Whiteflower proceeded to examine Blazestripe. “Are you sure that you want to join ShadowClan, kittypet?”
“Yes,” murmured Maybel anxiously. The thought of being in a Clan where everyone cared for each other excited her.
“Go with Rockpaw and Nightwing back to camp. After Whiteflower binds Blazestripe’s legs, we can carry him back,” ordered Goldenear bluntly. “See if Ryestar will accept you. I doubt it, though.”
“She saved Blazestripe’s life!” argued Nightwing, and she prodded Maybel along. “Hurry up, Rockpaw. Let’s go, kittypet, I’ll take it slow for you.”
The three of them padded slowly over the grassy swamp. Maybel was beginning to recognize landmarks such as a tall hillock of wildflowers, or a deep and murky swamp. She saw a copse of stunted trees, which Nightwing pointed out to her as a great place to hunt for mice. Maybel was amazed by the sheer enormity of the territory. Beside her, Rockpaw padded beside her. He was around the same height as her, but his nervous expression gave him away as a moon younger. He watched her with guarded curiosity, his long fur blowing in the light breeze.
“So tell me about ShadowClan,” Maybel mewed, trying to break the silence as they walked.
“There are four Clans in the forest,” Nightwing answered absentmindedly. “ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan and ShadowClan. Each Clan has a leader. Our leader is Ryestar, and ThunderClan’s leader is Adderstar, for example. Each leader has a deputy, who is the second in command and will replace them if they lose all of their nine lives. There are also warriors like me in the Clan. We fight, hunt and die for our Clan.”
“Die for your Clan?” Maybel asked nervously, shuffling her paws.
Nightwing nodded. “We’re completely loyal to our Clan. Pregnant warriors are queens, and they go in the nursery. When kits are six moons old, they become apprentices like Rockpaw here. This is only his second day as an apprentice. Retired warriors are called elders, and they are respected by the whole Clan.”
Maybel nodded dumbly. “So...I’ll be an apprentice?”
“You said you were seven moons, right? Then yes, you’ll be an apprentice,” Nightwing confirmed as they continued walking through a grassy portion of the marsh.
Eventually they reached a flat stretch of land. In front of them, stunted trees rose up along with toadstools and bracken bushes to provide shelter. Nightwing looked down at Rockpaw and flicked his shoulder with her black tail. The brown tabby took off, pelting down the slope towards the copse of trees.
“That’s our camp,” Nightwing explained as she shepherded Maybel towards it. “Come on.”
“Nightwing,” Maybel began, her mouth dry. “Is, uh, is Goldenear your deputy? He seemed to be in charge of you guys...”
The black she-cat stifled a laugh as they padded towards the camp entrance. “No, he was just in charge of our patrol. He’s a really strong warrior, though. I wouldn’t be surprised if he became deputy one day.”
“Oh,” Maybel felt kind of dumb. “Then, who is your deputy?”
Nightwing looked like she was going to reply as they entered the camp. She didn’t get a chance too, however, because a deep, loud voice interrupted them. “So this is the kittypet who saved Blazestripe.”
The tom who had spoken was large in stature, with a broad head and thick limbs. His eyes were a misty blue, and his fur was deep silver crossed over with black stripes. His eyes narrowed as he glared down at Maybel. “Well?”
“That’s me,” Maybel whispered. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Nightwing bent down, so the black-and-white she-cat followed suit.
“I’m Stormfoot,” he greeted her disdainfully, though interest sparked in his blue eyes. “ShadowClan’s deputy.”
Maybel was suddenly taken aback by this tom’s size. She had though Goldenear was big, but he had been just a warrior. If Stormfoot was this huge, then Ryestar must tower over all the other cats. Fear pricked her pelt. “Maybel.”
Stormfoot grunted, his large feet churning the ground below. “Rockpaw says that you wanted to join.”
Maybel cast a glance at the brown tabby, standing right behind Stormfoot. She nodded, eyes on the lookout for Ryestar. “Yeah, I do.”
Nodding, the large silver tabby moved out of her way. Thankful, Maybel took a step forwards to try to catch a glimpse of the camp. Rockpaw was blocking some of it, but she could still see bramble dens in the thorn barrier that circled the camp, and a tall stump that had a hollow in the side. She saw a pile of prey in the center of the camp, and also dens sharing the same fallen tree as it sprawled across camp.
All other the camp, groups of cats were grooming each other and gossiping about the day. Nightwing came up silently behind Maybel. “They’re sharing tongues. It’s a bit drizzly out, so they’ll do it either for less time or in a sheltered location today.”
“Sharing tongues?” Maybel echoed as she took in the sight. A white tom and tortoiseshell she-cat shared tongues by the nursery. The she-cat’s belly was bulging and Maybel realized that they must be mates.
“Hey, you’re the kittypet Rockpaw was going on about!” a cheerful mew broke into Maybel’s thoughts. The spotted she-cat turned to see a calico and white she-cat licking her shoulder.
The ShadowClan she-cat pricked her ears and looked at Maybel with bright amber eyes as she stopped her grooming and stretched. “I’m Swallowpaw. I’ve just become an apprentice like my brother Rockpaw. My mentor is Nightwing.”
Maybel turned to see amused affection glittering in Nightwing’s eyes as she regarded her apprentice.
“Anyways,” continued Swallowpaw in an excited voice. “I was actually impressed that a kittypet like you could save Blazestripe. It would be great to have you in the Clan. Viperpaw disagrees, though." She flicked her tail at the scrawny white tom behind her.
Viperpaw took a step forwards hesitantly, as if he wasn’t sure. He watched Maybel with cold amber eyes, his short fur bristling against the wind. “Kittypets can’t become warriors. So what if you saved Blazestripe? Go back to your Twolegs.”
Maybel took a step backwards. It was the first negative reaction she had gotten since arriving in camp. Even though she was a kittypet, she had thought that saving Blazestripe had earned her some respect. It looked like she was wrong. About to spit back a reply, Maybel was interrupted by a light mew.
“You’re the she-cat who saved Blazestripe!” Maybel turned, blinking in gratitude that this she-cat hadn’t called her kittypet.
The she-cat who had spoken was a deep ginger in colour, her fur dark even at her paws and underbelly. Her eyes were bright green, and she bore an uncanny resemblance to Blazestripe. But this she-cat looked older, and her eyes were filled with weariness. “Thank you,” she murmured.
Maybel dipped her head, astounded. Rockpaw must have come into camp blurting out the news. “That was me,” she said. “Maybel.”
“Maybel,” repeated the she-cat. “I’m Dawntail. Blazestripe is my son. Thank you for saving him.”
Maybel let out a slight purr, grateful this cat was nicer than Viperpaw. She was about to reply when she was interrupted yet again, this time by a deep and menacing meow.
“So this is the kittypet who saved the lives of one of my warriors. Maybel, is it not?” the voice was lilting and covered with velvet, but there was a tone to it that Maybel could not identify.
When Swallowpaw, Dawntail and Viperpaw dropped into deep bows in front of her, Maybel realized with a chilling feeling who had spoken. She slowly turned around, amber eyes scared. Her heart was in her throat as she turned to face Ryestar.
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