Flashpaw's Witness
Disgruntled apprentice Flashpaw witnesses a grisly murder...
FLASHPAW- small, scrawny red tabby tom with white paws and chest; green eyes
DARKBRAMBLE- black she-cat with a long tail
REDWING- mottled russety red tabby tom with white forepaws and strikingly blue eyes
THICKETLEAF- dark brown tabby tom with green eyes
NIGHTRUNNER- long-legged black she-cat
STORMRAGE- dark gray tom with white paws and a white dash on his chest
DARKBRAMBLE- black she-cat with a long tail
REDWING- mottled russety red tabby tom with white forepaws and strikingly blue eyes
THICKETLEAF- dark brown tabby tom with green eyes
NIGHTRUNNER- long-legged black she-cat
STORMRAGE- dark gray tom with white paws and a white dash on his chest
Flashpaw had nothing but complaints running through his mind the entire morning. From the time Redwing had rudely awakened him at dawn, ripping him from the best dream he'd had in moons, to all the sharp twigs hidden beneath the carpet of dead leaves he'd somehow managed to step on. Nobody else on this dumb patrol was doing that. Could they see through the leaves or something?
"It's always me," he muttered to himself, just out of earshot from the rest of the patrol. Ravenpaw never did dawn patrol. Branchpaw never did dawn patrol. Well, maybe they did it on occasion, but Flashpaw was certainly on dawn patrol way more often than either of his denmates. It just wasn't fair.
"Flashpaw! Quit lagging!" Redwing yowled from the front. Flashpaw growled, ears turned backwards, as he slunk forward, coming just close enough to make his brother stop leering at him. Bossy Redwing, Flashpaw thought. Just cause he's my mentor now he thinks he can boss me around and treat me like dirt.
He could hear Branchpaw's response to that thought in his mind--- "Bossing you around is your mentor's job"--- but Flashpaw rolled his eyes and ignored the figment. Branchpaw was every bit as bossy as Redwing, even in Flashpaw's imagination! Why was every cat always trying to boss him around?
Darkbramble flicked Flashpaw with her tail, jerking him from his complaint reverie. "We're near the ShadowClan border now," she mewed in a low voice.
I know that already, Flashpaw thought. I've been on this stupid dawn patrol so many times I could walk the border with my eyes closed. Truthfully he was so in his own head that he hadn't noticed they were so close to ShadowClan territory, but he was too embarrassed about that to admit it even to himself.
"Hey Flashpaw." Redwing's tone was less bossy now. The warrior flicked his tail. "Go further down that way, closer to the border. Check that the markings are still fresh and if they aren't, mark them again."
Flashpaw nodded. "Yes, Redwing." He scurried off with enthusiasm, for once happy to do what Redwing wanted--- after all, it involved getting away from the patrol and running off on his own!
He came close to the Twoleg path which divided their territories, scrunching his nose a little as he smelled fresh ShadowClan musk--- bleh. They must have just been here. Or they were still here. Whatever the case, ThunderClan's scent was far too weak down here, Flashpaw bemoaned as he laid down some new scents.
As he padded along the border, re-marking stale border lines, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride warm his pelt. This was how he should feel as a warrior's apprentice--- needed, important, an integral part of this patrol instead of some useless cat who got dragged along because his mentor wanted to torture him at dawn every day. Now he could be useful, and in a way that made him feel like a real warrior. If only--- he mused, tail drooping--- Redwing could see him doing this one thing well.
Fresh ShadowClan stench blasted Flashpaw's nostrils. He recoiled in disgust. Yes--- they were definitely just here. If not--- he pricked his ears--- could it be? Were those voices from across the way? Flashpaw crept a little closer to the border, fully focused on those voices. A she-cat and a tom, but no-one else.
Ideas about what a single she-cat and a single tom would be doing this far out together proved to be too much for Flashpaw, so he swiftly pattered across the border (for a short moment, Flashpaw assured himself--- they'd scarcely know he'd been there) to catch some juicy gossip to share with his denmates. He scooted beneath a thicket of brambles and peered out toward the voices, from which he could now make out words. His pelt twitched with excitement.
"Stormrage, I still don't understand why you've brought me so close to ThunderClan territory just to talk to me," mewed the she-cat, stepping into Flashpaw's line of sight. Her legs were rather long compared to the thick-pelted gray tom who strolled beside her--- Stormrage. Flashpaw grew tense. That warrior from the gathering. The one with the scary yellow eyes. Stormrage. A fitting warrior name if there ever was one. It sent shivers down Flashpaw's spine, just like his eyes had that night.
"I told you, mother. This is an issue of utmost privacy and I want no other cat to hear of it. Not even my brothers." The gray warrior flicked his tail.
The she-cat stepped in front of Stormrage, causing him to halt and pull back a step or two. "Well spit it out, then," she hissed. "We could not be further from the camp right now and we're too close to enemy territory for my liking." Her tail lashed.
"Oh, so ThunderClan is enemy territory now, is it, Nightrunner," Stormrage rumbled. "That's a shame. I thought I'd be doing you a favor."
Nightrunner's eyes narrowed. "What are you getting at?"
"Thicktail," Stormrage hissed. "Your beloved Thicktail."
Flashpaw's attention was piqued. He'd heard brief mentions of the deceased warrior Thicktail, but never anything about his association with any ShadowClan warrior. He leaned his head in closer, ears perked. He may not be getting the sort of gossip he'd hoped for, but it was interesting gossip nonetheless!
Nightrunner growled. "He's been dead for moons. I have no further ties to ThunderClan." She tilted her ears back. "If you're questioning my loyalty to ShadowClan I can assure you that---"
"This isn't about your Clan loyalty," hissed Stormrage, head low.
"Then what is it about?" Nightrunner sighed. "Look. It's all out in the open now. I thought all of this was over. What's the point in bringing it up again if not to question my loyalty?"
"This is about me," Stormrage growled. His flanks heaved as his breathing grew heavier. "And it's about Rakeclaw, Stoneclaw, and Snakestrike. Did you honestly believe---" He mrowed a wicked laugh which sent a chill through Flashpaw's pelt. "That you were going to live without the consequences you made for yourself? Your own kits?"
Nightrunner's tone changed from hostile to sympathetic--- the tone Sunfire used on Flashpaw when he'd accidentally hurt himself. That tone only a mother would use toward her kit. "Son... you are not a consequence," she mewed. "You're a fine young warrior and I'm proud of you."
"I don't want your pride," spat Stormrage, doubly hostile. "I want nothing to do with you. I want nothing more than to see you run across that border right now and never come back."
"There is nothing for me across that border!" Nightrunner hissed. "I am ShadowClan."
"And because of you, I am not," snarled Stormrage. He slashed at her muzzle, sending the she-cat stepping back. "I'm some half-Clan hybrid and you know how that makes me feel?" He slashed at her face again, this time slicing open her nose.
"Stormrage, stop!" yowled Nightrunner.
"I asked you a question!" he roared. "It makes me feel like I don't belong! All I want is to be ShadowClan. All ShadowClan, no... mouse-hearted ThunderClan blood in my veins! And the only way to stop being reminded on a day-to-day basis of the fact that I'm not..." He slashed for her ears, which she ducked away from. "Is if you run across that border and never look me in the face again!"
"I'm not crossing that border!" Nightrunner growled, poised and ready to fight.
A deep growl arose in Stormrage's throat. "Then you leave me no choice." He padded away from her. Flashpaw, having grown uncomfortable with the situation, prepared to take his leave--- but then Stormrage whipped around at lightning speed, his jaws clenching around Nightrunner's throat. Flashpaw froze in shock and in terror as he watched the other warrior wheeze and batter her claws in an effort to escape Stormrage's clutches--- but she could not. His jaws only clenched in tighter. Flashpaw saw scarlet blood appear--- heard the gurgling in Nightrunner's throat as she began to weaken. His own blood ran cold. He let out an instinctive gasp. Oh no... too late to take it back!
Stormrage froze. He gave Nightrunner a final shake and let her fall to the ground, blood splurting everywhere and staining the gray warrior's muzzle. His horrifying yellow gaze turned onto Flashpaw's bush.
Driven by pure fear, Flashpaw loudly scratched his way out of the bramble thicket and bolted back across the border, staying as low to the ground as he possibly could. He threw himself beneath a bush back on the ThunderClan side and peered back into ShadowClan territory to see if Stormrage was in pursuit. He was not. All Flashpaw could see of him was his silhouette through the pines and brambles, his tail beating back and forth with agitation. Then he bent down and began to drag something--- Nightrunner's body, no doubt--- across the ground. Flashpaw gulped. What a close call. He hoped to StarClan he hadn't been seen.
"It's always me," he muttered to himself, just out of earshot from the rest of the patrol. Ravenpaw never did dawn patrol. Branchpaw never did dawn patrol. Well, maybe they did it on occasion, but Flashpaw was certainly on dawn patrol way more often than either of his denmates. It just wasn't fair.
"Flashpaw! Quit lagging!" Redwing yowled from the front. Flashpaw growled, ears turned backwards, as he slunk forward, coming just close enough to make his brother stop leering at him. Bossy Redwing, Flashpaw thought. Just cause he's my mentor now he thinks he can boss me around and treat me like dirt.
He could hear Branchpaw's response to that thought in his mind--- "Bossing you around is your mentor's job"--- but Flashpaw rolled his eyes and ignored the figment. Branchpaw was every bit as bossy as Redwing, even in Flashpaw's imagination! Why was every cat always trying to boss him around?
Darkbramble flicked Flashpaw with her tail, jerking him from his complaint reverie. "We're near the ShadowClan border now," she mewed in a low voice.
I know that already, Flashpaw thought. I've been on this stupid dawn patrol so many times I could walk the border with my eyes closed. Truthfully he was so in his own head that he hadn't noticed they were so close to ShadowClan territory, but he was too embarrassed about that to admit it even to himself.
"Hey Flashpaw." Redwing's tone was less bossy now. The warrior flicked his tail. "Go further down that way, closer to the border. Check that the markings are still fresh and if they aren't, mark them again."
Flashpaw nodded. "Yes, Redwing." He scurried off with enthusiasm, for once happy to do what Redwing wanted--- after all, it involved getting away from the patrol and running off on his own!
He came close to the Twoleg path which divided their territories, scrunching his nose a little as he smelled fresh ShadowClan musk--- bleh. They must have just been here. Or they were still here. Whatever the case, ThunderClan's scent was far too weak down here, Flashpaw bemoaned as he laid down some new scents.
As he padded along the border, re-marking stale border lines, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride warm his pelt. This was how he should feel as a warrior's apprentice--- needed, important, an integral part of this patrol instead of some useless cat who got dragged along because his mentor wanted to torture him at dawn every day. Now he could be useful, and in a way that made him feel like a real warrior. If only--- he mused, tail drooping--- Redwing could see him doing this one thing well.
Fresh ShadowClan stench blasted Flashpaw's nostrils. He recoiled in disgust. Yes--- they were definitely just here. If not--- he pricked his ears--- could it be? Were those voices from across the way? Flashpaw crept a little closer to the border, fully focused on those voices. A she-cat and a tom, but no-one else.
Ideas about what a single she-cat and a single tom would be doing this far out together proved to be too much for Flashpaw, so he swiftly pattered across the border (for a short moment, Flashpaw assured himself--- they'd scarcely know he'd been there) to catch some juicy gossip to share with his denmates. He scooted beneath a thicket of brambles and peered out toward the voices, from which he could now make out words. His pelt twitched with excitement.
"Stormrage, I still don't understand why you've brought me so close to ThunderClan territory just to talk to me," mewed the she-cat, stepping into Flashpaw's line of sight. Her legs were rather long compared to the thick-pelted gray tom who strolled beside her--- Stormrage. Flashpaw grew tense. That warrior from the gathering. The one with the scary yellow eyes. Stormrage. A fitting warrior name if there ever was one. It sent shivers down Flashpaw's spine, just like his eyes had that night.
"I told you, mother. This is an issue of utmost privacy and I want no other cat to hear of it. Not even my brothers." The gray warrior flicked his tail.
The she-cat stepped in front of Stormrage, causing him to halt and pull back a step or two. "Well spit it out, then," she hissed. "We could not be further from the camp right now and we're too close to enemy territory for my liking." Her tail lashed.
"Oh, so ThunderClan is enemy territory now, is it, Nightrunner," Stormrage rumbled. "That's a shame. I thought I'd be doing you a favor."
Nightrunner's eyes narrowed. "What are you getting at?"
"Thicktail," Stormrage hissed. "Your beloved Thicktail."
Flashpaw's attention was piqued. He'd heard brief mentions of the deceased warrior Thicktail, but never anything about his association with any ShadowClan warrior. He leaned his head in closer, ears perked. He may not be getting the sort of gossip he'd hoped for, but it was interesting gossip nonetheless!
Nightrunner growled. "He's been dead for moons. I have no further ties to ThunderClan." She tilted her ears back. "If you're questioning my loyalty to ShadowClan I can assure you that---"
"This isn't about your Clan loyalty," hissed Stormrage, head low.
"Then what is it about?" Nightrunner sighed. "Look. It's all out in the open now. I thought all of this was over. What's the point in bringing it up again if not to question my loyalty?"
"This is about me," Stormrage growled. His flanks heaved as his breathing grew heavier. "And it's about Rakeclaw, Stoneclaw, and Snakestrike. Did you honestly believe---" He mrowed a wicked laugh which sent a chill through Flashpaw's pelt. "That you were going to live without the consequences you made for yourself? Your own kits?"
Nightrunner's tone changed from hostile to sympathetic--- the tone Sunfire used on Flashpaw when he'd accidentally hurt himself. That tone only a mother would use toward her kit. "Son... you are not a consequence," she mewed. "You're a fine young warrior and I'm proud of you."
"I don't want your pride," spat Stormrage, doubly hostile. "I want nothing to do with you. I want nothing more than to see you run across that border right now and never come back."
"There is nothing for me across that border!" Nightrunner hissed. "I am ShadowClan."
"And because of you, I am not," snarled Stormrage. He slashed at her muzzle, sending the she-cat stepping back. "I'm some half-Clan hybrid and you know how that makes me feel?" He slashed at her face again, this time slicing open her nose.
"Stormrage, stop!" yowled Nightrunner.
"I asked you a question!" he roared. "It makes me feel like I don't belong! All I want is to be ShadowClan. All ShadowClan, no... mouse-hearted ThunderClan blood in my veins! And the only way to stop being reminded on a day-to-day basis of the fact that I'm not..." He slashed for her ears, which she ducked away from. "Is if you run across that border and never look me in the face again!"
"I'm not crossing that border!" Nightrunner growled, poised and ready to fight.
A deep growl arose in Stormrage's throat. "Then you leave me no choice." He padded away from her. Flashpaw, having grown uncomfortable with the situation, prepared to take his leave--- but then Stormrage whipped around at lightning speed, his jaws clenching around Nightrunner's throat. Flashpaw froze in shock and in terror as he watched the other warrior wheeze and batter her claws in an effort to escape Stormrage's clutches--- but she could not. His jaws only clenched in tighter. Flashpaw saw scarlet blood appear--- heard the gurgling in Nightrunner's throat as she began to weaken. His own blood ran cold. He let out an instinctive gasp. Oh no... too late to take it back!
Stormrage froze. He gave Nightrunner a final shake and let her fall to the ground, blood splurting everywhere and staining the gray warrior's muzzle. His horrifying yellow gaze turned onto Flashpaw's bush.
Driven by pure fear, Flashpaw loudly scratched his way out of the bramble thicket and bolted back across the border, staying as low to the ground as he possibly could. He threw himself beneath a bush back on the ThunderClan side and peered back into ShadowClan territory to see if Stormrage was in pursuit. He was not. All Flashpaw could see of him was his silhouette through the pines and brambles, his tail beating back and forth with agitation. Then he bent down and began to drag something--- Nightrunner's body, no doubt--- across the ground. Flashpaw gulped. What a close call. He hoped to StarClan he hadn't been seen.