Could this be it?!The calico shecat's fur crackled and buzzed with fear and excitement. Could this be the day she had waited for? After a moon and a half of rigorous work and training and pushing, had the day finally arrived? Would her brothers be apprenticed? The shecat swallowed down her fear and chose to cling to her hope. Her fear, of course, being that Duskblaze had decided to go the opposite route. That with the first frosts due on the ground any day now her backstabbing leader would, rather than apprentice her brothers, but exile them instead. It was entirely possible that last night had been their last night in Marsh Clan.
It was entirely possible her mentor was about to shove a knife in her heart and twist it, one last time.
Gullkit and Cherrykit obviously picked up on their sister's nervous tension. Patchpaw's face might be a mask of calm (was it? Yes... yes it was. When had that happened? When had she learned how to hide? Maybe it was just the fact she wore that face so often now. Always calm, always collected, even when inside she was exhausted and worn down to the bone.) but the calico's brothers knew her better than anyone. They could see the tight set of her lips and the stiffness of her tail, even as she forced it to stand up proudly and led her siblings to the front of the rapidly forming crowd. If they were to be cast out, they would hold their heads high so no cat would doubt the valuable future-Warriors Marsh Clan was losing.
Her orange brother tried to console the shecat, making her curl her tail tightly over his larger shoulders in an anxious hug. Cherrykit had always been more sensitive to her moods but she must be more upset than she originally thought as even Gullkit, who was too lazy for things such as comfort, reached out to run his face along her other side, a stuttering-disjointed purr quietly vibrating through her shoulder. This was certainly a surprise. Her grey brother hardly ever spoke, even to purr. Their mother had too strongly instilled in him not to. It was a rare thing, and it made the shecat's heart warm. Patchpaw took her brothers' comfort quietly and gratefully, letting the tight ball of fear in her chest uncoil slightly. While her face was still set and her spine still ramrod straight, the shecat's soft white eyes warmed to molten silver as she looked up at her brothers, the corners of her mouth lifting in silent thanks. She had grown recently, a spurt that had started and never quite stopped. She was as tall as Cedarpaw now and still going, but her brothers were still the same. Still larger, still stronger, and still absolute goofballs.
"Let all cats old enough to fight gather." That was what her leader had called. The words burned like claw swipes in her ears. She kept her face blank as she looked back up at the tom who was her leader.
"Let all cats old enough to share tongues come together." That was what her mother had used. A cry of family and of friendship. Not one of war. Patchpaw stared up at Duskblaze, her leader, her mentor, and her surrogate-father even, once upon a time, oh so long ago. She had looked up to him. Trusted him. Relied on him. Right up until the ceremony that ripped all of those things away and left her terrified, alone, and vulnerable.
But Patchpaw was none of those things. Not anymore. A moon and a half of utter hell had changed her. A moon and a half of always looking over her shoulder, of spending dawn until midnight training and patroling, of never getting enough sleep, of trusting no one but herself to ensure her family's survival, all of that had forged the growing shecat into an apprentice much stronger than the tiny, heart-broken kitten that had stood before the same rock Patchpaw sat before now.
Then... it happened.
It... happened.
IT FINALLY HAPPENED!A cry of joy and exuberance was strangled in the shecat's throat as she waited for Duskblaze to finish apprenticing Gullkit, excitement bubbling through her fur, her face a mad grin of relief and delight. Then- Rippedpaw? The shecat started in surprised and glanced to her brother, worried his feelings would be-
Gullkit had a cocky grin on his face and, the second he saw her glance, he raised his eyebrows twice at her, his grin only widening as he tilted his head to brandish his scar at her.
Oh yeah. You know you jelly.Patchpaw could read that look so easily it made her burst out into laughter. She almost could not recover herself in time to motion her brother towards Owlfur and bat a paw on her nose, showing them they needed to touch. Gullkit rolled his eyes and made a face at all the pomp and ceremony but Patchpaw hardly noticed through the tears of pride shining in her moonlight eyes.
Then it was Cherrykit's turn and the calico was in for another surprise. Eveningblaze? Not a Warrior but... a Medicine Cat? The idea had never even occurred to her. She had been so busy, so stressed trying to train them in hunting and battle... she never even considered that the grouchy, callous Eveningblaze would take on an apprentice, but then, the two had been spending time together as of late, and Cherrykit had a new fascination in talking because of the surly black tom. And he did love plants and was always distracted by them...
Strange how it made perfect sense -it was obvious even!- and yet she had never seen it. Never even dared to hope for anything more than a brutal apprenticeship she would have to fight them through all the way. The shecat looked up at her brother, her silver eyes questioning. She put a paw on his chest, then flicked her tail toward Eveningblaze, cocking her head to the side and concern plain on her face as she did so.
Do you want this?The answer was clear and the shecat smiled. Patchpaw grabbed her orange brother by his shoulders and forced his head down so she could give him one last motherly lick before sending him off to his new mentor. Her heart felt like it would burst from joy and pride as she looked at the two toms. Her two brothers. Her family and all she had left in this world. They were apprentices now. They did not need her anymore. The thought was bittersweet but she would not deny them this moment for anything in the world. Hardly a split second after Cherrykit and Eveningblaze had touched, the proud sister was the first to yell out her brother's name, leading the clan in their chant. Maybe the grey and orange toms could not hear them, but Star Clan be damned if she cared!
"Rippedpaw!" she cried out joyously, the loudest of them all.
"Cherrypaw! Rippedpaw! Cherrypaw! Rippedpaw! Cherrypaw!"The tom looked at Owlfur, sizing him up. He did not look like too much. Nor did he look like too little. Patchpaw probably had a whole background and personality file on him in her head. She had probably hunted, patrolled, and eaten with the tom. His sister simply was that way. She
cared about cats. She spent time with them. She got to know them for no reason other than that they were clanmates and clanmates stuck together.
Rippedpaw, by contrast, only knew Patchpaw, Cherrypaw, Littleflame, Summit, Duskblaze, and Eveningblaze -and even that was a stretch on his social circle. Summit was the newest addition to it, along with Eveningblaze, both of which he only knew due to his contact with Littleflame and Cherrykit respectively. If Rippedpaw had his way, he, Cherrypaw, and Patchpaw would be the only cats in the clan. Which essentially meant they would be rogues with fancy names and Rippedpaw was totally okay with that. Except the fancy names bit. That bit he could do without too.
Anyway. Here he was. Beside Owlfur. Cats were yelling. The large grey apprentice saw their mouths moving, but was having a hard time figuring out the words. Their mouths were too exaggerated. That meant yelling. He assumed it was 'Rippedpaw' and 'Cherrypaw' they yelled, based on his vague prior knowledge of Patchpaw's ceremony, but it could have been anything. They seemed to be yelling at the sky, not him, so he didn't care.
No. Scratch that. This yelling made Patchpaw happy. He could see it in his sister's eyes. He cared then. Things that made Patchpaw happy were good as far as he was concerned. Rippedpaw sat studiously at Owlfur's side -not touching, mind you- until the cats had quieted down and moved on. Then he ghosted back to his sister without a second's hesitation. She nipped at his ear in a mild rebuke, then tried to shove him back toward that Owlfur guy. Rippedpaw merely put a massive paw over the shecat's head in a
"I'm the big brother. I'll do what I want" gesture, and flopped down at her side. He saw Patchpaw's laughter as she shook of his paw before she turned back to look at Duskblaze attentively.
Rather than simply go back to sleep, Rippedpaw found himself looking up too with the mildest of interest -but interest all the same. It had been a long time since he saw his sister's huge smile. Eons had passed it felt like since he last saw the shake of her head and flutter of her chest that meant laughter. The last ceremony had left her a changed cat. This one, it seemed, was bringing some of her old self back. Rippedpaw did not care overly much for clan or ceremony, but if they could bring back his sister's smile, the light that once gleamed in those soft silver eyes... then he would endure putting off his next nap a little longer to suffer through one, and do it gladly. Or semi-gladly. Gladly was too much effort.
The orange tom had been talking with Tornpelt when the call rang out. He was talking with the shecat a lot lately. So many things confused him. So many things he thought he would never feel again. Things he would have sworn he had burned and buried away in a part of him so dark and heavily chained the treacherous feelings would never again see the light of day. At Duskblaze's call, the tom's eyes shot across the camp, to the Warrior's Den where Stone and Summit had been playing. Well, Summit had been playing on top of Stone. The large tom might be triple Littleflame's size, an intimidating and harsh figure, but his eyes told a different tale. Those amber eyes were soft and warm and full of kindness. It made the orange tom's fur tingle and his lips quirk into a smile without his consent.
He was not smiling now though as he looked back to Tornpelt, apprehension and fear prickling down his spine.
"They are not truly staying, are they?" he whispered worriedly.
That certainly garnered him an amused look. The orange tom had done nothing but talk about the father-daughter pair since they arrived. Since he arrived with him.
"You know I meant not for this turn of events to unfold!" he hissed as the two started to shuffle towards the back of the forming crowd.
"I had no idea of the kit's intentions! I had no idea she was a kit! I had no idea her father was... so..."Littleflame could not find any suitable words. He floundered in his head. He then found some quite
unsuitable words which only flustered him even more! He was a Knight, Sun guide him! He was not afraid of anything! He feared no cat! But when he looked at Stone and thought about Summit's words and the tom's adorable reaction to them, the way his fur had ruffled and his words stumbled in a way that made Littleflame's chest bubble with soft laughter, he felt something that decidedly was
not fear. -And that made him afraid.
"Father!"Littleflame froze in his tracks, one paw still in the air in the middle of his stride, hardly managing not to cringe at the soft, sweet voice that called out beside him. He was sure Tornpelt found his discomfort endlessly amusing. The kit was so sweet, and so well-meaning. He could not break her heart and force her to cease calling him 'father', but Brother Sun protect him, he could not take much more of this! He turned, slowly, with measured control and politeness, to see the shecat and her father
-her real father!- beside them now. Summit's tail was firmly wrapped around her Dad's leg. She must have hauled him over. Littleflame saw Stone's apologetic look but that hardly helped him, now did it?!
"Hello, Summit. How can I be of service?" he greeted, trying to keep himself distant but cordial. He thought he could practically hear Tornpelt's cackle of silent laughter beside him. He narrowly resisted the urge to stomp on her tail with his back foot. As it was, he merely flicked his tail between them in silent aggravation and apprehension.
"We would like to sit beside you please, sir," she voiced cheerily. Her tone was so strange and lyrical. Laced with sweetness and innocence, it almost sounded like a spoken song. Littleflame had never heard the like.
" 'We', huh?" the orange tom asked skeptically, eyeing the massive form of Stone.
Summit nodded vigorously, her face a huge grin. Her blue-green eyes were so vibrant and bright, her face full of hopefulness. Even though she was almost his size, she still felt exactly like a kit, with bushy eyed wishfulness and a mildest belief in magic still dancing through the clouds in her head. Littleflame felt his willpower against her crumbling more and more every day. How could any cat deny such a shecat? The tom resisted the urge to let out a sigh of defeat. He knew he was sunk.
"It would be my honor to accompany such a fine lady and gallant gentleman," the tom mewed smoothly, his deep voice warm despite himself.
Summit giggled with delight and hastily made herself right at home, settling down in front of his paws, the tips of her shoulders pressed back against his chest and a purr started up in her throat. Gah! Littleflame resisted the urge to leap backward in surprise and alarm. Did this shekit have no sense of personal space? No conception of boundaries?! She should be over next to her father! Granted she called him 'Father' but- but he had never agreed to that and she should just go right back over to sit down with Stone! STARS CURSE HER!
Littleflame held himself stock still, using every bit of his considerable military discipline to keep his mounting discomfort from showing. As it was, he merely seemed quiet and slightly distant. Except for the backward flick of his ears when Summit pounced and he worried look he could not help shooting at Stone. He certainly did not want the tom to think he was stealing his daughter away!
But Summit, ever oblivious and pure-hearted, merely twisted her head to look back, giggle, and wave at her Dad, motioning him closer before resting her head on her paws from where she lay to watch her first ceremony unfold with rampant curiosity. Littleflame stifled a sigh and resigned himself to his fate.
Hopefully it would be a short ceremony...
And it was. For the most part. Rippedpaw and Cherrypaw were apprenticed. Littleflame smiled warmly at the toms, but he knew that this ceremony meant more to another cat than it ever would to them and, true to form, Patchpaw was the loudest to call out her sibling's names. The orange tom felt pride, not for the brothers, although he was sure they had well earned their apprenticeships, but for the little (or not-so-little now) calico that had fought tooth and claw to get them there.
Then it was Summit's turn and the shecat shot out from between him like a crack of lightning, only pausing for a moment to give him a quick lick on the cheek in farewell and push her father forward, wanting him to move 'Faster, Daddy! Faster!" all the way. Littleflame's cheek burned from the sweet gesture and a deep laugh rumbled in his chest as he pitied the poor silver tom.
"Good luck, Stone -and Welcome again," he mewed warmly as they hurried off, his voice thick with amusement,
"Just in advance."Then Summit was renamed. Blackpaw. It suited her. Her mangy, black and brown swirled pelt with its errant tufts of orange and gold was certainly striking enough to earn her a name. And she was apprenticed to-
Littleflame did a double-take in shock and surprise, only to find Tornpelt was no longer beside him! When had she moved? He had been too distracted to even notice! She was at the front now though, and clearly caught his eye. Oooooooo. She was a sly one! She had not told him of this! She had likely just wanted to see him get all flustered and bothered over Summit all over again. Well it was not going to work. No, sir. Not this time.
Except it was definitely working as Littleflame found it almost impossible to pick his jaw up off the floor where it had dropped. NOW what was he going to do?!
It was almost enough to make a tom wish he was back with the Kinsfolk, the poor orange tabby thought with a whimper. At least they never had such cruel mind games!
The song of the clan was pounding in the shecat's ears. It drown out the whispers of the swamp with the power of its roar. Over and over she heard it go on, her heart pounding almost painfully as she stood beside her Dad and the gnarled, hairless form of Tornpelt, her Father's friend.
"Blackpaw! Hailstone! Blackpaw! Hailstone!"The shecat grinned like mad back at the small collection of cats and kits gathered. She tore her gaze away from the wild, pulsing beat of their song, almost as loud and overpowering as that of the Waterfall she had lived in not so long ago, to lean over and put her lips to her father's ears.
"Don't worry, Daddy," she told him, raising her voice so that it was hardly loud enough to be heard over the roar, but even then only by him. Only by her Daddy.
"I will always be Summit. I will always be yours. I promise!"She felt the tom's embrace and the little black shecat was sure no cat in the history of the world had been as happy as her in that one, glorious moment. When at last the chant died down, the newly named Blackpaw tore herself away from the Velcro that was her Dad's side to flounce over to her new mentor. To the strange oddity that was 'Tornpelt'. She saw many tears and rips in the cat's pelt. She yearned to ask which one Tornpelt had gotten her name from, but Littleflame was teaching her 'to be polite' and that meant not asking the most burning questions, no matter how much she wanted to.
"Ma'am," she greeted happily.
"Are you excited to be my mentor? I've seen you with my new father, Littleflame, very often. I'm Summit- ah, but Blackpaw now! My father probably mentioned me. Duskblaze said you trained him! I asked! I am very excited to be your apprentice, Ma'am! Very excited! Will you teach me to be a Knight too?"
