Chapter 1: Prologue (aka where everything goes down hill)
Chapter Text
Goldenflower grunted, a contraction running through her. She has been kitting since sunrise and it was a painful ordeal. Spottedleaf was at her side, calming her with her words, but the anxious glint in her eyes gave her away.
Something was wrong.
She could hear Tigerclaw pacing outside of the nursery, his heavy footed steps providing a sustaining rhythm. Oh how Goldenflower wanted to sleep, her eyelids growing heav-
“I see the first one!” says a hopeful Spottedleaf. “Push, oh push for StarClan’s sake Goldenflower! I know you can do it!”
Goldenflower yowled as the first kit came out. A tiny, fragile golden ball identical to her was being licked furiously by Spottedleaf until a shrill mew echoed in the tense camp. A cat gasped in relief and Tigerclaw stopped pacing so fervently.
“It's a tom!”
She weakly smiled. Before the next contraction started, Spottedleaf swiftly put a stick in Goldenflower’s mouth. Goldenflower pushed with all of her might, pushing out another bundle. Four seconds later, a squeak sounded from the small brown tabby.
“It’s a she cat.Two more left Goldenflower!”
She wished she could share Spottedleaf optimism, but the next words dampened even the medicine cat’s personality.
“One of the kits is coming paws out.”
No...
”Usually this wouldn’t be a problem, just extra painful, but there is one more kit after it. And looking how slow the kitting was so far, it-... most likely that the fourth kit wouldn’t survive.” Spottedleaf pawed the ground sadly.
Goldenflower felt like a hole opened up inside of her. One of her kits, her child….won’t live…
“Push though Goldenflower! You can’t stop pushing!” Spottedleaf’s anxious voice brought her back from her thoughts “Both kits will die if you don’t do anything!”
Goldenflower pushed with a new vigor. She WOULDN’T let both of her kits die because of her. She at least needed to save one. She bore the pain for them and finally, after an excruciating experience, her two daughters slipped out. Spottedleaf started licking the second one and Goldenflower licked the black she cat. Her kit let out a tiny mew. Joy flooded her. Her kit survived! She turned to Spottedleaf cheerfully..until her joy plummeted. The medicine cat was looking at the tiny kit in her paws, a kit that wasn't breathing. They were gone.
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Spottedleaf was grabbing some rosemary for Hazelkit’s funeral. That kit was doomed from the start. Not only were they the last to exit the womb, but Hazelkit was a stillborn. Spottedleaf sighs.
Goldenflower already has enough on her plate dealing with Tigerclaw.
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Tigerclaw couldn’t stand waiting outside of that nursery. He liked having everything being able to be controlled by him, but a new life? That’s one thing he’s nervous about. Especially if Goldenflower is the one in pain. His ears perked up as Spottedleaf exitted the nursery.
“Spottedleaf, what happened? Can I come in?” Tigerclaw’s nerves were at an alltime high.
Spottedleaf dejectedly stared at the ground “One of the kits….died. And the other… you'll see.” She padded off to the medicine den as Tigerclaw rushed into the nursery, his heart pounding. He sighed. Goldenflower is fine, and with our four kits. What was Spottedleaf going on about?
He skidded to a stop when he noticed his mate’s puffy red eyes and the stillness of one of the kits.
“Sh-she’s dead.” Goldenflower chokes out before pointing at the black kit “And she… can’t move her hind leg.”
Tigerclaw growled, his grief replaced with disgust. A cripple was his daughter? She should have died and her perfect sister SHOULDN’T HAVE.
His mate looked at him, confused at his growls, “What’s wrong Tigerclaw?” she asks.
Tigerclaw exploded, his pent up fury exploding “WRONG? YOUR ASKING ME WHATS WRONG? THE USELESS DAUGHTER OF MINE, A LOWLY CRIPPLE, TOOK HER OWN LITTERMATE’S LIFE!”
Goldenflower shrinked back in fear, her tail pulling her kits close as one let out a scared mew.
Tigerclaw took in one deep breath, slightly calming down before saying “That kit is not mine. And she will never be mine.”
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Goldenflower looked at her third kit. Tigerclaw had refused to name her, so it was up to her. This kit was more calm and collected compared to Sunkit and Amberkit. And her night black pelt was obviously like Tigerclaw’s littermate, Nightkit.
Nightkit! That’s the perfect name for my perfect little kit!
She looked back at the limp body of Hazelkit for a last time before promising…
I’ll love Nightkit like I loved you….and I’ll love her more than Tigerclaw…_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Spottedleaf was going to take a swift nap before the vigil for Hazelkit. She did not expect StarClan to keep her awake.
Spottedleaf was in StarClan’s hunting grounds, where cats were drifting around and watching their descendants. Her heart lit up with joy when she saw her mentor, Featherwhisker.
“Featherwhisker!” She said while going up to greet him. “Oh how I missed you so much!”
Featherwhisker smiled before saying “I missed you too. But I have something grave to share….”
?
Featherwhisker started to flicker. What was happening?
StarClan turned into a dark forest, cats disappearing with desperate screams. A brown tabby walked up in the chaos and said,
“Doomed to start a child will roam,
One hindered will see the spirits,
Starclan will fall; Darkness rising,
Flames and shadows will stop the uprising”
“Spottedleaf, wake up! It’s time for the vigil!” Willowpelt prodded her gently with their paw.
“…..StarClan is in danger….” Spottedleaf mumbled. She looked at the silver-gray cat in front of her.
“I need to see Bluestar.”
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Bluestar was laying in her nest. A kit had died today and another was never going to become a full warrior. But that wasn't the least of her troubles. Spottedleaf had come to her earlier saying something about a prophecy and how StarClan will be destroyed. Her warrior ancestors can’t even stop this!
But what about the prophecy about Fire will save the clans….why are there two prophecies…
But one thing really rattled her. Goosefeather’s warning to her.
You are the fire that will blaze through the clans. Water will defeat you along with the will of the shadows.
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Chapter 2: Allegiances of only ThunderClan
Summary:
Alligiances of MainCharacterClan.
Notes:
....sorry for disappering :/
Chapter Text
ALLEGIANCES
ThunderClan
Leader: Bluestar - blue-gray she-cat, tinged with silver around her muzzle.
Deputy: Redtail - small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail.
Medicine Cat: Spottedleaf - beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat.
Warriors:
Lionheart - magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane.
Tigerclaw - big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws.
Apprentice, Darkpaw
Whitestorm - big white tom.
Longtail - pale tabby tom with dark black stripes.
Runningwind - swift tabby tom.
Mousefur - small dusky brown she-cat.
Speckletail - pale golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Apprentices:
Darkpaw - sleek black-and-gray tabby tom.
*crickets chrip*
Queens:
Robinwing - a small dusky-brown she-cat with a ginger patch on her chest, amber eyes,and a thick-furred tail
Kits, Dustkit (a dirt-colored dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes) and Ravenkit (a sleek-furred black tom with white on his chest and tail and green eyes)
Willowpelt- very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes.
Kit, Graykit (dark gray tom with an even darker stripe and yellow eyes)
Brindleface - a pale gray tabby she-cat with green eyes.
Kit, Sandkit (pale ginger she-cat with green eyes)
Goldenflower - sleek pale ginger tabby with yellow eyes.
Kits, Sunkit (pale ginger tom with amber eyes), Amberkit (dark brown tabby with yellow eyes), and Nightkit (black she-cat with thick fur and Tigerclaw’s claws and lilac eyes with Congenital Hind Limb Paralysis - unilateral [aka her right hind leg doesn’t work])
Elders:
Halftail - big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing.
Smallear - gray tom with very small ears. The oldest tom in ThunderClan.
Patchpelt - small black-and-white tom.
One-eye - pale gray she-cat, the oldest cat in ThunderClan. Virtually blind and deaf.
Dappletail - once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat.
Rosetail - gray tabby she-cat with a bushy reddish tail.
Chapter 3: Fun Kit Moments Before Tigerclaw Crashes the Party
Summary:
Nightkit learns to walk almost perfectly and gets yelled at by Mr. I can’t get over the death of a stillborn child so I blame my other child. Hazelkit realizes stuff.
Notes:
You know how I said I would write in 2nd person….
That went out the window. Oops
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hazelkit looks around frantically before looking down at the limp body of a brown she-kit.
That’s me?! But why am I here? Why aren't I there??
She waves her paw in front of a golden she-cat.
“Hello? Can you see me?”
The she-cat remains looking sorrowfully at the kit and Hazelkit’s actions are completely ignored.
“I'm alive, why are you all looking at that body? Why can't you see me?” Her voice goes off into a whine as she tries and fails to get the attention of the cats surrounding her body.
She laid her head on her paws as she mournfully watched the cats.. Wait WHY ARE HER PAWS TRANSLUCENT?!
Her shriek could have probably been heard from ShadowClan but as she looked at her paws then the dead body whose shape was quite similar to hers, she realizes….
“I’m dead?”
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Nightkit frowned mentally at the paw prodding at her back. She still wanted to sleep for quite a bit longer.
“Nightkit, wake up! I wanna play!” The bright and cheery voice of Sunkit said.
Nightkit groaned before responding “Go bother Amberkit. I want to sleep.”
Amberkit yawns before replying “Yeah no, go play with Ravenkit or something.”
Goldenflower gently scolds Sunkit. “Sunkit, stop bothering your sisters.”
He looks up at his mother, whining “But I’m booooorrrrredddd.”
Nightkit grumbles “And I’m bored of your complaints. Go annoy the others.” before snuggling closer to Goldenflower’s belly.
“You're no fun.” pouts Sunkit before running off to bug Dustkit. A faint ‘Let’s play mossball’ can be heard.
Nightkit and Amberkit tried to sleep, but Sunkit had shaken any possible sleepiness from them.
Amberkit stretches before standing “That mouse brain woke me up.” She complains. “You want to go to the elder’s?”
Nightkit shoots up “Yes! That’s more fun than playing moss ball.” She follows Amberkit out of the nursery, walking almost perfectly with her hind leg swinging in time with the others. She had worked quite hard to make sure she could walk normally with her useless leg. NOTHING can get in her way of being a warrior.
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Spottedleaf had reluctantly entered the nursery. History had never let a disabled cat become a warrior and she was regretful to force Nightkit into the two choices she had left.
Retire early to the elder’s den or become a medicine cat.
Nightkit’s reaction was expected. She adamantly refused to bend to the generations of ableism and promised Spottedleaf that she would learn to walk properly. She decided to give the kit three days of time to walk as perfectly as a normal kit. It was quite a short time but with pressure from the others, she had to speed things up. Nightkit had nodded vigorously, determination in her eyes.
…
Nightkit sat in the middle of camp, watching the cats walk. They all had perfectly working legs, so when she tried mimicking their movements, her useless leg would drag behind her. That was slowing her down.
She needed to prevent it from dragging. Or make the leg perform the swinging motion.
She looks around and limps to a secluded area in camp, near a particularly reinforced part of the wall, away from prying eyes.
The only problem was the leg.
For once in her life, she wished she didn’t have this useless leg. Why can't she be normal?
She can't mess this up.
Glancing around, making sure no one was looking, she unsheathes her long claws…
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Nightkit looks proudly at Spottedleaf. She had cut some bracken from the camp wall, tied her leg in an upright position, and added pebbles that would swing her leg back and forth if she put enough thrust in her step.
Spottedleaf looked impressed that a kit could overcome their disability using random objects. She watched Nightkit scamper off to her littermates, showing off her contraption, happy that another cat would not be forced into the confines of the medicine cat path.
But with all her focus on Nightkit, she did not see the shadowy figure of a cat with shiny amber eyes, watching in the distance.
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Amberkit swiftly pounced on Ravenkit, rolling around until she firmly pinned him down.
“Take that you ShadowClan menace!” She yowled as she continued to grip tightly on him.
“Wa-wait I give up! Spare me!” Ravenkit says meekly. Amberkit gets off him with a final yell of ‘Victory for ThunderClan!’ and ‘ShadowClan is a bunch of dirty rats!’ before jumping on innocent ol’ Graykit, who was enjoying his first time out of camp. A shrill shriek escapes from him, causing Willowpelt, who was eating a mouse, whip her head sharply towards them before rushing over.
“Great StarClan! Graykit, are you okay?” She fusses over him for a bit before looking sternly at Amberkit “You shouldn’t play that hard with him, he’s a moon younger than you! Be careful!” before trudging off with Graykit in tow, who was mouthing ‘I’m sorry’.
Nightkit gently nudged shoulders with Amberkit. “Hey, don’t worry. Accidents are bound to happen sometim-” Her sentence is cut off by the enormous frame of Tigerclaw, who was looking angrily at…Nightkit?
But she didn't do anything wrong, It was me.?
Tigerclaw shoves his face into Nightkit’s, almost nose to nose as he bares his fangs at her.
“Are you heartless?! Why did you hurt poor Graykit? You might be useless, but you can’t think you're superior to your clanmates!” He yowls angrily as Nightkit shrinks back.
“It wasn’t me!” Nightkit squeaks fearfully. Amberkit nervously steps forward, “It wasn’t her, it was me.” She looks straight at Tigerclaw’s cold amber eyes, shuddering at the hate inside them..that wasn’t directed at her.
Tigerclaw furiously screamed “Now you're convincing your sibling that you're not a menace to this clan?! If I had my way, I would kill you right here!” He unsheathes his claws.
Nightkit’s eyes widened fearfully “But I’m your kit!”
“You're no kit of mine! My kits are not murderers!” He screeches before walking off.
When was Nightkit a murderer? Who did she murder? Tigerclaw sounds like he has bees in his brain.
“...who did I murder?” Nightkit looked at his disappearing frame in confusion.
The kits were left in the clearing, absolutely confused.
Goldenflower had said Hazelkit was a stillborn, but Tigerclaw was adamant that Nightkit killed someone.
By being born, does Tigerclaw think Nightkit killed Hazelkit? That’s STUPID!
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Notes:
Next chapter moves the plot!
PS: To actually understand and write how Nightkit overcame her useless leg, I might have crawled around and tried to imitate her. I think it worked?
PPS: Did I trick you that Nightkit was going to chop of her leg with her claws? That was totally not intentional hehehehhehehehehehehe :D
Chapter 4: Who is that + Assasin apprentice + Nice training in moody forest + Me = apprentice
Summary:
Nightkit and Hazelkit have a chat. Ravenpaw is scared out of his fur. Spottedleaf lost her favorite thing in the clans. Nightkit also meets a very great cat who is a really very great influence and is not murderous at all. Now everyone is an apprentice. Except Graykit.
Notes:
I have a bit of Nightkit art so once I figure out Tumblr I'll link it. :)
Chapter Text
Nightkit yawned before looking around. All the others were..still asleep? It is morning, right? She stood up, carefully avoiding stepping on her sleeping littermates as she padded out of the nursery. The night sky was full of stars and Nightkit stared up at them, entranced by their bright glow. Was this what she was named after? She sat contently in the starlight, basking in it before being startled by a waving paw? Whose awake at this time?
“HELLO? CAN YOU SEE ME AND HEAR ME?” Hazelkit said loudly. Her translucent paws continued waving in front of Nightkit’s face.
“ACK- ..who are you?” Nightkit looked fearfully at the ghost. Do ghosts haunt people? Why are they haunting me? I didn't do anything, I was born 3 moons ago!
“You can hear and see me? Finally! I’m Hazelkit!” The spirit said enthusiastically.
“Hazelkit? You mean-”
“Yeah, I'm your littermate!...and now I'm a ghost.” Hazelkit’s voice trails off at that thought.
“So you're haunting me because I killed you? Well that's what Tigerclaw says. I'm a murderer.” Nighkit looked at her sister remorsefully.
“Huh? Whose Tigerclaw? Also you didn’t kill me. I was a stillborn!” She says it with a flourish.
“...Tigerclaw’s your father and …you are proud of dying and becoming a stillborn.”
“When you put it like that…”
“And also..WHY AREN'T YOU IN STARCLAN?”
“About that..I don’t know!”
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Hazelkit was quite a fun company after that meeting. She followed Nightkit everywhere she went (almost even the dirtplace but she stopped her sister) and they had a great time together. Stranded StarClan kits are amazing mossball players. Sunkit was off bothering the older kits while Amberkit had become unusually cold and chilly after ‘The Tigerclaw Incident’, preferring to spend more time with Spottedleaf in the medicine den. It was quite obvious that she was going to become a medicine cat, to Tigerclaw’s displeasure. But at this point, everything disappoints Tigerclaw.
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Nightkit had been counting the moons till her apprentice ceremony. Dustkit, Ravenkit, and Sandkit (Dustpaw, Ravenpaw, and Sandpaw now) had their ceremony 5 sunrises ago and she and her littermates should have their ceremony soon. Like probably a sunrise from now. She was currently watching the apprentices clean out the elder’s den, Dustpaw and Sandpaw dragging out piles of moss from it. Ravenpaw was nowhere to be seen, probably out training with Tigerclaw.
Poor Ravenpaw. He must be struggling. Tigerclaw consistently drags him out of the apprentice den in the middle of the night to do battle training and is sent to hunt and train in the morning. Nightkit was surprised he wasn't collapsing from lack of sleep. Yet.
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Ravenpaw trembled at Tigerclaw’s harsh words. He couldn’t believe this cat could be so cruel. And he could not believe the words that the same cat uttered.
This cat had continuously dragged him out for ‘training practice’ at random moments, showing how to ambush someone, how to do killing blows, poisoning, and traps, quite unusual training for an apprentice. But Ravenpaw didn’t know that. Dustpaw hasn’t talked to him since Robinwing died, so he didn’t know how Redtail was training him.
It all clicked when Tigerclaw said the thing he never expected.
Kill Nightkit.
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Nightkit woke in a dark, muddy forest, looking around in the eerie silence. She didn't recognize where she was? She pricked her ears, trying to hear if any cat was nearby. She could hear the faint sound of pawsteps approaching and swiveled her head to see them. A cat with a tortoiseshell pelt walks towards her, paws moving purposely as black muck cling to them. A fang pokes out as her amber eyes scan the kit.
“And who are you? Kits like you shouldn’t be here.” Her voice was slightly raspy as she peered at them. Nighkit looks up at the ragged she-cat, scanning her eyes for any malicious intent.
“Nightkit.” She stares at the cat, lilac against amber, before asking “And you?”
The cat looks at her for a moment as if she was analyzing something before purring and saying “I’m Mapleshade. So Nightkit, do you want to learn some warrior skills?” Her voice suddenly went sweet. Nightkit nods eagerly. She was going to become an apprentice soon but if she could show her mentor that she’s competent, then maybe they’ll like her. But how will she learn to fight with her leg? Her eyes drift to it and Mapleshade follows her eyes, confusion overcoming her face at the bracken contraption. “What’s that?” She asks.
“....That leg doesn’t work.” Nightkit said disappointingly. Now this strange cat won’t train her and she’ll never be a good apprentice. Mapleshade looked at it thoughtfully before meowing
“So with that contraption you can walk.” Mapleshade walks around her, inspecting every bit of the bracken. “How about jumping, running, and crouching?”
“Well to jump, I mostly use my other 3 legs for most of the push. To run I just have to move the rest of my body fast and it does the same. Crouching, I have to bend this leg into a crouch and stay low.” She says as she demonstrates.
Mapleshade huffs “Good enough.” She steadies her poise and goes into a stance. “Copy this.”
Nightkit copies it as Mapleshade adjusts her paw positions. “This is your battle stance.” The cat says. “Remember it. Now let’s try a killing blow.” Nightkit’s head bobs excitedly.
Mapleshade calls over another cat. “This is Snowtuft. I’ll demonstrate with him .” The white tom looks at Mapleshade as she charges at him, pushes him down, and holds her claws over his throat. Nightkit notes mentally each movement Mapleshade did and decides to try. She slips into her battle stance and stares straight at Snowtuft’s blue eyes, her lilac ones sparking with determination. Mapleshade watched in the background, her amber ones unblinkingly watching Nightkit. The kit looks at Snowtuft before running (more scampering), pouncing on Snowtuft, who flips the kit over, pinning them down. Nightkit grunts before wriggling and escaping Snowtuft and jumping on his back, thrusting into his back to knock him down and slips a paw of unsheathed claws under him and over his throat.
“I did it!” Nightkit says happily. Mapleshade’s lip curls into a smirk.
This kit was perfect for her plans.
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Spottedleaf trudged up the Highstones, heading towards the Moonstone. The half moon meeting was about to happen and she hoped StarClan sends her a sign that Amberkit, who memorized quite a bit of herbs and their uses, can become her apprentice. She still couldn’t shake off the dark feeling that StarClan’s last vision. Who was the cat it mentioned?
She had quite a good chat with Mudfur before all the cats gathered and touched the moonstone with their nose.
…
Spottedleaf stood in pure darkness.
…
She suddenly awakes and with a glance at the others, she realizes no one actually saw StarClan. She clears her throat before saying “..6 moons ago I got a prophecy..”
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“Bluestar, We lost contact with StarClan.”
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"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock!” Bluestar yowls from the Highrock. Nightkit and Amberkit were swiftly snatched by Goldenflower and given a fast grooming as Sunkit was chided by Tigerclaw for not allowing him to groom him. Hazelkit was bouncing with excitement “WE’RE BECOMING APPRENTICES!” She yowled.
Nightkit raises an eyebrow wondering how she was becoming an apprentice, but before she could ask her Goldenflower nudged her, Amberkit, and a grumpy Sunkit forward.
Sunkit, 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 Sunpaw. Your mentor will be Longtail. I hope they will pass down all they know on to you. Sunpaw scampers to Longtail, touching noses with a grin.
Spottedleaf jumps up onto the Highrock next to Bluestar. “It is my wish to take on my first apprentice.” She says, eyes glistening with pride as Amberkit steps up.
Amberkit, 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 medicine name, you will be known as Amberpaw. Your mentor will be Spottedleaf. I hope she will pass down all they know on to you. Amberpaw touches noses with Spottedleaf and purrs.
Nightkit, 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 Nightpaw. Your mentor will be Lionheart. I hope they will pass down all they know on to you. Nightpaw walks up towards the golden tom, who smiles and touches noses with her.
I’m an apprentice!
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Chapter 5: Why are RiverClan apprentices Party Poopers?
Summary:
Nightpaw meets Hawkpaw. Nightpaw later on attack Hawkpaw. Hawkpaw has a mental crisis. Nightpaw saves people like the amazing cat she is.
Notes:
TUMBLR IS HERE HEHEEHEHEH
www.tumblr.com/lightleaper-mossy
Ask me stuff, make fan art of our quad, look at my art, or just exist.
Also I rewrote the summary but I still might change it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Nightpaw watched her brother bouncing around Longtail, who was looking quite overwhelmed by Sunpaw’s energy. Stifling a giggle, she padded towards Lionheart near the warriors den, hoping to explore the territory, instead seeing her mentor heatedly arguing with Tigerclaw? What were they arguing about? She slipped behind the den, pricking her ears to hear the conversation.
“You shouldn’t bother with her, you know, she’ll only bring you down. It’s pointless trying to teach her anything…waste of time..” Tigerclaw growled to Lionheart’s confused face. “Tigerclaw, you know that’s your daughter right?” He asked tentatively.
“She’s no daughter of mine! She killed my real one!” Tigerclaw growled angrily before stomping off, muttering something furiously. Lionheart stared at him, mouth slightly agape, Nightpaw sharing the same expression. She knew Tigerclaw detested her but to try to stop her apprenticeship? That’s extreme.
Nightpaw slides around the den and approaches Lionheart, with a completely innocent face before asking him “Can we go look at the borders?” Lionheart nods, still stunned from Tigerclaw’s words and gestures with his tail for Nightpaw to follow him as he exits camp, padding in a certain direction. Nightpaw steps out of camp for the first time, inhaling the forest smells before smiling at the floating cat next to her as they together run towards Lionheart, excited to explore the territory.
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“And this is the RiverClan border. Remember their scent.” said Lionheart. Nightpaw and Hazelpaw both inhale the scent and Hazelpaw recoils with an audible yuck. “That’s a horrible scent.” Nightpaw nodded in agreement and as she memorized the border, she could see two figures across the river.
“Uhh Lionheart, is it just me or someone’s there?” She said, pointing a paw at the approaching figures. “As long as they stay on their side of the border, we are fine.” He said as a reddish -brown tom and dark brown apprentice approached the river.
“Hello Oakheart! Is that your apprentice?” Lionheart asked, voice friendly. Oakheart grinned and nodded “This is Hawkpaw. And who is that?” Oakheart smiled at Nightpaw “Nightpaw.” She said keeping her voice monotone. One could never know what the enemies intentions could be. Especially with that apprentice, Hawkpaw, who was glaring at her. She stared at him, wondering why he was doing that while their mentors were chatting happily. Hazelpaw leaned down and said “Wonder who put his tail in a twist?” before dissolving into a fit of giggles. Nightpaw had to stifle her laugh; She didn’t want to irk Hawkpaw more. Nightpaw really hoped she wouldn't see him at the gathering, he was not good company. She was brought back from her thoughts when Lionheart said a farewell to Oakheart and the RiverClan cats walked off.
“That was the RiverClan deputy by the way.” Lionheart said casually. Nightpaw stared at him, mouth agape. What?! A sideways glance to Hazelpaw showed that her sister mimicked her expression. Lionheart chuckled at the reaction “Don’t worry I told him a lot of good things about you.” Nightpaw looked back confused, “But I didn't even train yet?” He winked and said “Oakheart doesn’t know that and now you got something to live up to.” He licks his paw and smoothens his chest fur before teasingly mewing “I wouldn’t want to seem like a bad mentor. Now let’s head around Snakerocks and not through them. Can’t have my apprentice die on their first day!” As they walk, Hazelkit leans in and says “Lionheart is the absolute best mentor in the world!” before squealing and doing a sort of happy dance. Nightpaw laughs under her breath before continuing to explore the territory.
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Hawkpaw stared into the river, looking straight at his reflection. Why could he not stop thinking about her? She’s in a different clan!
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“You’re in the same den as her Ravenpaw! It’s not so hard to let a little mistake happen.”
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“Hello Mapleshade!” Nightpaw bounced up and down. “Can we learn something new today?” Mapleshade grinned, purring silkily, “Of course. This is the ‘Leap-and-hold’ and the ‘Belly rake’. Snowtuft!” She yowled into the darkness. The white tom came out through a bush and shook off the leaves littering his pelt, before positioning himself face to face with Mapleshade. “Since Snowtuft is smaller than me, he will demonstrate it on me. Only use ‘Leap-and-hold’ on opponents smaller than you.” Snowtuft leaped onto Mapleshade’s back, gripping on with unsheathed claws. “This is where I would attack Mapleshade. Remember, if you are on your opponent, they might try to use the drop-and-roll.” Mapleshade proceeds to do that and Snowtuft jumps off her swiftly and bats at her underbelly. Snowtuft continues “You should leap off and go for the underbelly. Try on me.”
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱/ᐠ - ˕ -マ⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
“Hey Nightpaw! Can you grab Ravenpaw and his mentor? We’re going on a border patrol near Sunningrocks.” Redtail said cheerfully, heading towards Mousefur. Nightpaw nods and walks to the apprentice den, where Ravenpaw eyes were darting around anxiously, looking everywhere yet it looked like he was deeply lost in thought. Nightpaw waved her paw in front of his face, knocking him out of his daze “Hey Ravenpaw, we have a border patrol! Go get Tigerclaw.” Her voice turned dark at her father’s name. Ravenpaw’s pupils slitted at his mentor’s name and he started trembling. “Ravenpaw? Hello?” Nightpaw asked worriedly. Ravenpaw snapped back into reality before mewing “Huh? Oh ye-yeah I’ll get Tig- my mentor.” He scampered away, tail bristling with fear? Nightpaw shrugged and headed towards Mousefur and Redtail.
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱/ᐠ - ˕ -マ⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
“You know what to do Ravenpaw.”
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱/ᐠ - ˕ -マ⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
Nightpaw stared at the RiverClan invading patrol, led by Oakheart. Wasn’t it just a sunrise ago that the deputy and her mentor exchanged niceties. She unsheathed her claws and leaped at the nearest figure, claws digging into their back. The cat raised their head trying to attack her as she slashed at their back, her lilac eyes locking in with Hawkpaw’s blue ones. Hawkpaw yowled in pain, starting to roll and Snowtuft’s words floated through her head.
“You should leap off and go for the underbelly.”
As Hawkpaw tried rolling, she hopped off and latched onto his belly, swiftly slicing at as he tried to slash her, most of his swipes missing, but one hit her shoulder, causing her to lose her grip. Hawkpaw swiftly pounced down on her, digging his claws into her fur then flesh. Nightpaw let out an agonized shriek and tried to kick at him with her working hind leg, but the tom wouldn’t budge. Suddenly, he was pulled off of her and pushed to the side, relieving Nightpaw, who sprung back and held back to back with Mousefur. “There’s so many of them.” yowled Nightpaw as she swiped at a RiverClan tom. Suddenly a light rumbling of rocks grabbed her attention. Tigerclaw was pushing Oakheart back on a ledge, before scampering off reluctantly at a yowl of retreat from Redtail.
Those rocks were going to fall on Oakheart.
Without even acknowledging the risk, Nightpaw ran up the ledge, pushing Oakheart out of the way right as the rocks rumbled and fell around her. An audible crack pierced through the mini avalanche. She choked on the dust and closed her eyes until it settled.
I’m alive?!
Nightpaw opened her eyes blearily, seeing the concerned face of Oakheart before realizing…I’m not in pain..well I’m in pain but not anything new? “Nightpaw, is it? Are you okay?”
“Yeah actually I'm quite fine. Why?” She narrows her eyes. “Your- your leg. It's completely buried. How are you not in pain?” Oakheart stammered flabbergasted. “Umm get the rocks off and I’ll probably see why.” Oakheart nods and summons a RiverClan cat who, with him, pushes at the rock. It put up a fight but it finally slid off. Nightpaw calmly stood up to the entire RiverClan war patrol’s surprise, before looking down at her hind legs. The left one looked fine but her useless one was bent at an unnatural angle. Oh. She calmly walked past the RiverClan cats who were staring at her. “Well got to get this checked.” she said. Oakheart looked at her concerningly. “How are you okay?!Your leg is broken!”
“Oh that's my useless leg. When I was born, it just never worked so I can't feel it.” Nightpaw slices a piece of bracken and ties her leg back into its original position. “Bye, I guess.” before walking away, hoping the rest of the border patrol escaped mostly unharmed, while RiverClan watched in absolute confusion. She had to admit, she was quite proud of the way she left them, in like a mysterious air.
Notes:
HERE'S THE TUMBLR:
www.tumblr.com/lightleaper-mossy
SheepArntReal on Chapter 1 Wed 28 May 2025 12:28AM UTC
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Mossy_shade on Chapter 1 Mon 02 Jun 2025 08:18PM UTC
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emilieglazer_kiko on Chapter 4 Thu 19 Jun 2025 01:28AM UTC
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Mossy_shade on Chapter 4 Thu 19 Jun 2025 05:02PM UTC
Last Edited Thu 19 Jun 2025 05:04PM UTC
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Blütenglanz (Guest) on Chapter 4 Thu 19 Jun 2025 10:30PM UTC
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Mossy_shade on Chapter 4 Fri 20 Jun 2025 03:29PM UTC
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