Fadefur's Journey

Fadestar's Journey

            This is a W.I.P

                Chapter 1

Fadekit squirmed in her mothers grip, as she licked her head fondly. "Stay still Fadekit, I want you looking good for your ceremony." Larksong said proudly. Her sister watched grimly, her eyes watching her sympathetically. She scowled at her, she insisted she do it herself, and her mother said yes, but Fadekit had no choice but to sit through it. She actually enjoyed it a little. Riverheart's kits bounced around her curiously. "Who will be your mentor?" Rainkit asked, his eyes bright and curious. "I bet it'll be Stormclaw," His sister Fernkit predicted. "You to shoo, you'll become aprentices to in a couple moons." Riverheart said sternly to them. They lowered there heads, and padded back to there mother. Seedkit glanced outside the den. " Cats are gathering, the meetings about to start!" Her sister bounced on her paws in excitement. "Done," Larksong meowed. Fadekit squirmed out of her paws to stand beside her sister at the den entrance. She looked up, she was tiny compared to her tall, slim sister. She was determined not to let her puny size get to her. "May all cats old enough to catch there own prey gather here below highrock for a clan meeting!" She turned to see her clan leader, Willowstar, yowl. Fadekit huried out of the den as the cats began to gather. She sat beside her sister and mother. "Today, two cats will be leaving the nursery to become apprentices," Willowstar announced, "Seedkit, from now on you will be Seedpaw, your mentor will be Yellowtail." Seedkit bounded over to the tabby warrior and touched noses. "Seedpaw! Seedpaw!" The clan chanted her name. "Fadekit, from now on you will be Fadepaw, your mentor will be Sunfur," Fadekit, padded nervously over to her mentor and touched noses. Sunfur purred happily. "Fadepaw! Fadepaw!" The clan chanted her name loudly. She turned to see her mother and father, Brownear, watching proudly. Willowstar waited for the cats voices to stop before she began talking again.  " I have another important matter to discus,The Willowclan leader meowed clearly. "Mousetail?" She beckoned to her deputy. " I've scented Rouge cats on our border," Mousetail meowed, " I've seen half eaten prey on our border as well, which means that they our hunting on our land." Mousetail added, to cries of outrage from the cats below. "Thank you Mousetail," Willowstar said curtly. "I'm going to order extra border patrols, report to me immediately if you see or scent anything strange, that is all." She nodded to them as she leapt of the high rock and into the elders den.  Sunfur got to his paws and padded over to Yellowtail. "Would you like to join me and Fadepaw? Where going to look around the territory." Sunfur asked. Seedpaw looked dissapointed. "I want to battle train!" She complained to her mentor. "Sure, we'll come along," Yellowtail agreed, fixing his apprentice with a hard glare. Fadepaw bounced on her paws as they left through the gorse branch thicket. "This is soooooooo boring," Her sister complained, as Fadepaw fell into step beside her. " Not really," Fadepaw stopped talking to look up. "Wow, look at the Big WIllow! I never knew it was that big!" Sunfur purred. "Yes, some say its how Willowclan got it's name." Seedpaw huffed in exasperation. "It's just a tree! Why dont we go to the training hallow?" Seedpaw asked her mentor. "No, we are looking at the territory, training will be another day." Yellowtail said with a small hiss. "Something smells funny," Fadepaw said, wrinkling her nose at the smell.  "Yes," Replied Sunfur. "That is Shadeclan, they live near the lake." Seedpaw stared into the trees curiously. Fadepaw couldn't think of eating slimy fish, the thought disgusted her. "Do they eat toads?" Seedpaw said her eyes wide. "Hmmm, I wouldn't know I don't life there, but yes I imagine so." Yellowtail answered her question happily, glad she was taking some interest. The rest of the tour was very interesting to Fadepaw. The best places to hunt, types of prey, dangerous places, and there borders. " What will we do tomorrow?" Fadepaw asked as they neared the gorse thicket. "We'll hunt tomorrow, hows that sound?" Sunfall asked. "Great!" I couldn't wait, I was going to be the best hunter in all of Willowclan! Seedpaw ran to were her mother and father were sitting. As Fadepaw neared she heard her complaints. "I wanted to battle! But all we did was look at the terriotry, and Yellowtail is as grumpy as a badger! He thinks battling isn't fun." Seedpaw ranted on and on about the training session. "They call that training? She heard her say. "Oh come on, you didn't think that stuff was somewhat cool?" I asked in amazement. The stories were very interesting to her, she couldn't wait till tomrrow. "Not all training is with teeth and claws." Larksong sold her daugther sternly. "Plus, history is good to learn if you ever become deputy of Willowclan." Her father added. He always wanted his kin to become leader or deputy someday. Fadepaw yawned tiredly. "Well I found it amazing, Im gonna eat and go to bed." I flicked my tail and headed to the fresh kill pile. "Hey Fadepaw, congratulations on becoming an apprentice," I turned to see Shadowpaw padding towards me, a large raven in his mouth. "Wanna share?" He asked through the mouthful of bird. "Sure," I replied. "Is Sunfur a good mentor?" Shadowpaw asked curiously as we sat down. "Oh yes, he taught me a lot, Im gonna hunt tomorrow, I want to catch something on my first day." Fadepaw said in excitement. "Not many cats do that you know," Warned Shadowpaw warily,"   You would be really popular if you did." I smiled at the thought. "Why?" She tilted her head curiously." Shadowpaw shrugged, "Well, If you haven't hunted before, it will be hard to catch prey for a first timer." Fadepaw purred. "I've hunted butterflies, plus, Im smart." Shadowpaw smiled at her. "Okay, but remember, prey isn't like butterflies, and being smart helps I suppose." Fadepaw yawned, getting to her paws. "Thanks for sharing the raven. Im gonna sleep." Fadepaw curled her tail around her paws and shut her eyes, dreaming of catching some prey the next day.

                Chapter 2

Fadepaw woke up to Rosepaw arguing with her sister. "Am not!" She heard Seedpaw say. "You are to!" Rosepaw gave a small screech. "Can't a cat rest in here?" Fadepaw yowled over them. Rosepaw turned to face her. "Sorry Fadepaw, but your sister is upset about you and Shadowpaw, I told her she is just jealous." Fadepaw sat up, bewildered. "Me and him just talked, Great Starclan you two gossip to much." Fadepaw rolled her eyes. "Not really, he talks about liking someone." Seedpaw said sadly, "And he stares at you a lot to." I shook my head. Ridiculous. Yellowtail stuck his head in. "Hey, Seedpaw, Rosepaw, come with me on the border patrol, come on." He padded out. "See you," Seedpaw said glumly. I padded out of the den, I spotted Shadowpaw nearby and walked over to him. "Hey Shadowpaw." "Hey Fadepaw, gonna catch something big today?" I purred, "Of course!" He huffed a sigh of ammusement. "You've been an apprentice not even a sunrise! I wouldn't get so high on yourself." I hissed, "I'll catch something, you'll see!" He cast me a sidelong glance, his eyes sparkling. "Okay... I gotta go help the elders with ticks." As he padded away, Fadepaw thought about what Rosepaw said. She shook out her pelt, refusing to think of that right now.

                Chapter 3

"Fadepaw! Pay attention!" Sunfur meowed to her for what must have been the millionth time. "Sorry Sunfur, I... I was just thinking. I've been paying attention though." Sunfur huffed, "Alright, lets see if you have." Fadepaw suddenly felt nervous, she wasn't really paying attention. She'd just said that, so she didn't get in trouble! Sunfur looked at her expectantly. She gulped, and tried to remember what she'd seen apprentices practicing at camp. She lifted her muzzle to the air, and took in what she smelled. "I smell a rabbit." She hissed quietly, more to herself then her mentor. She stalked along the forest floor, following the scent. *What do I do now? Oh I remember! The hunting crouch, at least I remember something.* Fadepaw narrowed her eyes, spotting a brown rabbit eating some grass. Fadepaw padded closer, and leapt, her claws unsheathed. She landed ontop of the rabbit, unsure of what to do. She bit down into it's neck, it twicthed one last time in her time. She felt Sunfurs gaze on her, and as she turned around, he was padding toward her. Fadepaw struggled to hold it, as it was bigger then herself. "Great catch! I cant believe you caught that!" Sunfur exclaimed, pride clear in his voice. Fadepaw broke into a loud purr, muffled around the rabbit. "Come on, lets take that catch back to camp."

               Chapter 4

"You caught that?" Seedpaw said in disbelief as Fadepaw set down the rabbit onto the prey pile with help from Sunfur. "Yes." Fadepaw answered proudly, amazed herself that she caught prey on her first try. Cats gathered around the prey pile, admiring her catch. Fadepaw was embarrass at all the praise. Fadepaw was congratulated on her catch, and told about how good a warrior she would make. Fadepaw felt even better when she saw Shadowpaw staring at her with his mouth open. "Surprised?" Fadepaw purred as she padded toward him.  She tried to ignore the jealous stare her sister was shooting at her. "Thats... amazing. I didn't doubt you, I should have known you would be focused and catch something." Shadowpaw said, looking embarrassed. "Sorry I ever doubted you." Fadepaw cleaned her pelt, embarrassed as well. "It's fine, Im not used to so much attention." He purred. "Yes, your quiet popular right now." "Yes, well, Im really tired, Im gonna escape into the apprentice den." Fadepaw high-tailed into her nest. She quickly waited for the commotion to calm down. Glad that Rosepaw was out on patrol. She could finally relax.

Fadepaw dreamed a very peculiar dream that night. Fadepaw was on top of highrock, gathering cats around, and she saw herself, she looked the same. But she knew it was her, and there was a body on the ground. A sleek black pelt, it was... no, it couldn't be. It was Shadowpaw. Fadepaw jolted awake, her eyes huge as she looked around the apprentice den. She relaxed when she saw Shadowpaw next to her. Was it just a nightmare? Or a message from Starclan?  She must protect him, she understood that. Wether it was a dream from Starclan or not. And what was she doing atop the highrock? She had to share the news with someone.