Outcast/Chapter 6

==Chapter description==
:Poppypaw dives forward, but when she tries to hook Honeypaw's legs from under her, the latter quickly leaps backward and meets her sister head-on, delivering two blows to the tortoiseshell's nose before darting away. Berrynose meows to Poppypaw that she must be quicker, causing Lionpaw to be annoyed at the former's bossiness. The warrior is sprawled on a rock at the edge of the clearance, and condescendingly tells Honeypaw that her moves are coming along nicely. The tabby apprentice thanks Berrynose, blinking adoringly at him. This makes Lionpaw slightly jealous, as Honeypaw used to seem to like him best, and it is hard to lose her admiration so soon after giving up his friendship with Heatherpaw.
:Berrynose breaks into Lionpaw's thoughts and tells the tabby apprentice to show what he can do, which annoys the younger tom again. The golden-brown tom spots his mentor, Ashfur, demonstrating a move to Hollypaw several fox-lengths away, but Berrynose urges him to hurry, as he would never be a warrior by sitting all day. Lionpaw angrily thinks that if one looked at the cream-colored cat, they would think that is all that warriors do.
:Lionpaw meows to Cinderpaw to practice, and the gray apprentice eagerly comes up to him. She moves confidently as if her formerly injured leg felt fine. As the she-cat approaches, she aims a blow at Lionpaw's ear with sheathed claws, and he dodges, then tries to unbalance her by butting his head into her shoulder. However, Cinderpaw stays on her feet and wraps her forepaws around his neck, thrusting him to the ground. Lionpaw batters at her belly with his hind paws, and after a few heartbeats Cinderpaw lets go and springs away from him, waiting for him to get up. The golden-furred tom compliments her, but thinks that he would have won eventually. Cinderpaw, glowing with pride that she is getting her fighting skill back again, suggests that they try again. Berrynose interrupts by telling Lionpaw that he got the move wrong, so the tabby furiously faces the former and taunts how he had a skirmish with ShadowClan. Berrynose springs off the rock, hostile, and spits to not talk to a warrior like that, but the apprentice retorts at him to stop being such a know-it-all.
:Lionpaw wishes to attack his Clanmate, but knows that he would be in trouble, so he turns his back on Berrynose. He storms off to the side of the clearing and tries to calm down, vowing to himself that he would show Berrynose who is best at fighting when he becomes a warrior. A calm voice tells Lionpaw to take it easy, and he turns to see Stormfur sunning himself in a path of sunlight. The apprentice dips his head to the higher-ranked tom and apologizes that Berrynose annoys him. The warrior murmurs in sympathy, and Lionpaw continues that he can't help the cream-colored cat getting to him, and that he feels like he needs to be better than the other apprentices. The gray-furred feline questions why, but Lionpaw exclaims that he doesn't know, then hesitates and adds that it is probably because he is Firestar's kin and cats have high expectations because of it. Stormfur prompts if others expect him to be good because he is related to Tigerstar as well, which makes Lionpaw nervous and puzzled at how the former knows about his meetings with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost. However, the warrior explains that Brambleclaw was always afraid that the Clan wouldn't trust him due to their hate of Tigerstar, and Lionpaw has troubles imagining his father as being uncertain of his place in ThunderClan.
:The golden tabby comes up to Stormfur and sits beside him, questioning what his father and their journey was like. Stormfur recalls that it was terrifying and hard to both travel in dangerous territories and get along with cats from other Clans, though that they all came back changed. He continues they argued frequently in the beginning, but Brambleclaw often had the best ideas and he became the natural leader. Lionpaw prompts to know what happened, and Stormfur explains Midnight's prophecy. The apprentice then mews that it must have been really hard, and thinks that it would be hard to cooperate with ShadowClan warriors, or Breezepaw. The journeyed tom replies that it wasn't all bad, and, with amusement, recalls when Squirrelflight got stuck in a Twoleg fence. Lionpaw is entertained, and asks if Brambleclaw rescued her. Stormfur states that he and the dark tabby talked of their different ideas of how to free her, but meanwhile Tawnypelt and Feathertail used dock to free the ginger she-cat. Lionpaw voices his wishes to have been there, and Stormfur agrees that he enjoyed it. The younger cat adds that the former RiverClan tom became good friends with Brambleclaw, but Stormfur admits that he used to be jealous of the current deputy because both liked Squirrelflight. However, he notes that it was obvious that she liked Brambleclaw best, yet Lionpaw is astonished that the gray warrior liked the she-cat. Stormfur admits that she was unique, bright, brave, and determined, but he knew that Brook was the right cat for him when they stayed in the mountains.
:Stormfur's eyes cloud and he falls silent, so Lionpaw, puzzled, asks what is wrong. The former explains that his sister, Feathertail, was on the journey too, but died in the mountains to save the Tribe from a mountain lion. The adult tom says that he had to leave his kin buried in the mountains, and Lionpaw sympathizes, trying to imagine if Hollypaw died.
:Stormfur licks his chest fur and comments that cats must carry on. Lionpaw meows that he hopes his asking wasn't minded, and the warrior notes that it wasn't, offering to talk with his younger Clanmate and help him at any time. Lionpaw thanks the gray tom, and notes that it is easier talking to him than a ThunderClan cat, though he breaks off in embarrassment and apologizes. Stormfur says it is okay, and agrees that he understands, but although he is loyal toward the ThunderClan cats, he is only a visitor. Lionpaw curiously questions if the other cat feels most at home in RiverClan, ThunderClan, or the Tribe. Stormfur thinks and takes time before answering that he is a RiverClan cat at heart, as he grew up there, but now he feels loyal to ThunderClan for welcoming him. Lionpaw asks if he will stay forever, but the older cat is unsure. The apprentice presses why they don't return to the mountains, but a somber look creeps into Stormfur's eyes and he mews that it isn't that easy. Lionpaw suggests a visit, but the gray-furred feline briskly disagrees that it is far, and he gets to his paws, suggesting they get back to camp.
:Lionpaw looks over his shoulder and notes that the training session is over, with Ashfur and the apprentices heading towards the hollow. The young tom tells Stormfur to go ahead, so the gray warrior bounds to catch up with the others. Lionpaw turns and pads into the trees away from camp, then races toward the WindClan border. He halts at the edge of the stream and looks across the open moorland. Lionpaw enjoys the sun's warmth and the gently breeze, but thinks that the landscape ahead looks bleak and unwelcoming without any undergrowth. Lionpaw knows that he couldn't ever live in WindClan, as he would miss the forest too much, however much he loved Heatherpaw. He realizes that she couldn't have lived in ThunderClan either, and perceives that Stormfur must have truly loved Brook to give up his home and stay with her in the mountains.
:Lionpaw gazes into the distance, and can barely make out the dark, misty band on the horizons where the mountains lay, that Brook had once pointed out. He wonders if she longs to go there, and is curious as to what the mountains look like. The apprentice had heard of the Great Journey and all throughout his life, and wishes to explore beyond ThunderClan's border himself, aware that there is so much in the world to see, but he forces his way back to camp. The golden tom thinks that it is as if the mountains are calling him, but wonders how he would ever answer the call.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
es:Exilio/Capítulo 6fr:Exil/Chapitre 6nl:Verbannen/Hoofdstuk 6
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Power of Three arc
Category:Outcast