Snakefang's Thirst

Prologue:

The murky water shimmered with the reflections of three starry cats.

"The snake will slither, the fang will sink, as it slithers toward a dark path," one whispered, golden fur buffeting the wind.

The other two gasped, looking solemn, and meowed, "We must tell Sunheart, the medicine cat of ShadowClan, Goldendream."

Goldendream nodded, and the cats vanished into the darkness.

Chapter 1

"Snakekit! Wake up! We're becoming apprentices today!" yowled Graykit.

"What?" Snakekit's eyes snapped open, "Count me in!"

He scrambled outside and plopped down obediently.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" yowled a silver she-cat.

Cats swarmed out of their dens and sat down.

"Snakekit, Graykit, you are ready to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior names, you will be known as Snakepaw and Graypaw. Your mentors will be Thornfang and Sunheart. Thornfang, Sunheart, you are ready to take on another apprentice each. You have recieved excellent training from Sleekpool and Goldendream, and you have shown yourselves to be brave and loyal. You will be the mentor of Snakepaw and Graypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Snakepaw and Graypaw," the silver she-cat meowed.

"Snakepaw! Graypaw! Snakepaw! Graypaw!"

The Clan's cheers rippled through the crowd.

*Graykit-erpaw's becoming a medicine cat apprentice? No way! That's so cool!* Snakepaw thought.

"Hello?" a sturdy voice snapped Snakepaw out of his thoughts.

"Wh-wh?" he murmured at first, than saw who was standing before him. "Oh hey Thornfang," he meowed hurriedly, stretching up to touch the tall, buff tom's nose.

He smiled inwardly. *I'm gonna do great things and help my Clan!*

Chapter 2

"What are we doing today?" asked Snakepaw.

"I will teach you the territory," replied Thornfang, padding out the camp entrance.

Snakepaw padded after her, staring at the thick bunch of pine trees. Wow! The territory is huge! So many trees...

"If we see a kittypet, give it a scratch or two and warn it off our territory," meowed Thornfang, "If they don't leave and you ask them to."

Snakepaw nodded, "Okay Thornfang," though he WAS considering chasing it off first.

"That's the Twolegplace," Thornfang nodded to a big shacklike barn-thing.

Snakepaw breathed in the scent and wrinkled his nose, "It smells like crow-food and twolegs!"

"What do you expect? It's the Twolegplace," Thornfang answered, only half-joking.

They passed through lots of places.

"And that's the SkyClan border," Thornfang explained.

Snakepaw nodded.

"Rub your scent onto it. We need to refresh it," Thornfang meowed.

Shouldn't we be on the patrol though? Snakepaw thought. Still, he remarked the border.

"We will go to mark the RiverClan border next," Thornfang instructed.

Snakepaw nodded again, padding to a stream and doing the same process as he had remarked the border between ShadowClan and SkyClan.

He couldn't help but remark after marking the border, "They smell like fish!"

Thornfang chuckled, "That's RiverClan for you. They eat fish mostly. Well, we DO eat frogs and toads, but I bet any RiverClan cat a mouse that frogs and toads are yummier than fish."

Snakepaw laughed.

"Come on, we need to go back to camp. Or I'll just teach you to hunt first," Thornfang meowed.

"Hunt!" Snakepaw burst out.

Thornfang flicked his tail in acknowledgement and padded towards a marsh, Snakepaw on his tail.

Chapter 3

"Make sure you creep in slowly on your prey, and don't let it smell you. Also, thank StarClan," Thornfang advised, showing Snakepaw the hunter's crouch.

Snakepaw nodded, sliding into an exact replica of the correct way to go into the hunter's crouch.

Thornfang nodded in approval, "Now try it on this leaf."

Snakepaw crept in slowly and pounced on it, "Thank you, StarClan, for this prey...or leaf I guess."

Thornfang laughed, "Try it out on that frog."

Snakepaw slowly crept towards a frog and pounced on it, nipping it's throat as he cut off a screech of pain. Warm blood bathed his tongue and he closed his eyes.

"Good job!" Thornfang praised.

Snakepaw nodded, "Thank you Thornfang."

"Let's bring the prey back to camp," Thornfang decided.

"Okay Thornfang," Snakepaw agreed, watching his mentor push through a clump of ferns towards the camp, following him.

Chapter 4

"Snakepaw!" Thornfang called.

"Yeah?" Snakepaw asked.

"I'm going to show you battle moves today," Thornfang meowed.

"Ye-I mean okay," Snakepaw added, padding after Thornfang.

Thornfang whirled around. "Let's start with the duck and twist."

Snakepaw nodded.

Thornfang ducked, twisted, and lightly batted at Snakepaw's belly.

Snakepaw agreed and ducked, twisted, and lightly batted at Thornfang's belly.

"Good job!" Thornfang praised. "It's getting late, we need some rest for tomorrow."

Tail drooping, Snakepaw nodded and padded towards camp and cuddled up in his moss bed. His eyes closed and soon, he was lost in his dreams.

Chapter 5

Snakepaw yawned, slight slivers of light streaming into the apprentices' den.

"Snakepaw!" yowled Thornfang, "You're going to be pampering the elders tonight!"

Snakepaw couldn't suppress an inward groan. Ticks!

"...and than we'll be going to the Gathering! Silverstar told us early that we could come. She's impressed on how good you're doing!"

Snakepaw's frown curved into a smile.

He padded to the medicine cat den, accidently stepping into a pile of leaves.

"So like you, brother, to make me collect more thyme!" Graypaw pretended to groan, though his laughing expression told him he was joking.

Snakepaw burst into laughter, and Graypaw smiled. "So what is it you need?" Graypaw asked.

Snakepaw wrinkled his nose, "Mouse bile."

Graypaw guessed, "For the elders? Okay, when you're done, go wash your paws in a stream."

Snakepaw nodded holding a small piece of moss and heading towards the elders' den.

"Everyone knows what you're going to do!" accused Mousenose.

Confused, Snakepaw stared at her.

"The medicine cat could have been wrong," Longwhisker soothed, "Like the legendary Cinderpelt from ThunderClan about the legendary Brambleclaw/star and Squirrelflight."

"So? We don't know that for sure," Mousenose's mistrusting gaze bore into him.

Shifting his paws in uneasiness, a weird feeling crept up Snakepaw's paws as he soaked some mouse bile in moss and patted the elders' backs.

Well, he was kind of hoping to listen to a story while picking ticks, but they were arguing the whole time, and it was...about him!

"He's a danger!" Mousenose yowled.

"How'd you know? You don't know that!" protested Longwhisker.

"Do too!" Mousenose hissed.

"Do not!" Longwhisker retorted.

"I do!" snapped Mousenose.

They went back and forth, back and forth, on and on about him. Whatever  it was about him. As far as he knew, he did nothing to them.

When he was done, he heard the last yowls drain out as he quietly took the moss back to the medicine cat den.

"Thanks!" called Graypaw.

Snakepaw nodded dully and padded to a stream, washing his paws and padding back to camp to hear Silverstar and some ShadowClan cats leaving for the Gathering. Suddenly, excitement rushed through him and his fur tingled. He was going with them!

"Wait for me!" he yowled, catching up.

Chapter 6

Snakepaw yawned, slight slivers of light streaming into the apprentices' den.

"Snakepaw!" yowled Thornfang, "You're going to be pampering the elders tonight!"

Snakepaw couldn't suppress an inward groan. Ticks!

"...and than we'll be going to the Gathering! Silverstar told us early that we could come. She's impressed on how good you're doing!"

Snakepaw's frown curved into a smile.

He padded to the medicine cat den, accidently stepping into a pile of leaves.

"So like you, brother, to make me collect more thyme!" Graypaw pretended to groan, though his laughing expression told him he was joking.

Snakepaw burst into laughter, and Graypaw smiled. "So what is it you need?" Graypaw asked.

Snakepaw wrinkled his nose, "Mouse bile."

Graypaw guessed, "For the elders? Okay, when you're done, go wash your paws in a stream."

Snakepaw nodded holding a small piece of moss and heading towards the elders' den.

"Everyone knows what you're going to do!" accused Mousenose.

Confused, Snakepaw stared at her.

"The medicine cat could have been wrong," Longwhisker soothed, "Like the legendary Cinderpelt from ThunderClan about the legendary Brambleclaw/star and Squirrelflight."

"So? We don't know that for sure," Mousenose's mistrusting gaze bore into him.

Shifting his paws in uneasiness, a weird feeling crept up Snakepaw's paws as he soaked some mouse bile in moss and patted the elders' backs.

Well, he was kind of hoping to listen to a story while picking ticks, but they were arguing the whole time, and it was...about him!

"He's a danger!" Mousenose yowled.

"How'd you know? You don't know that!" protested Longwhisker.

"Do too!" Mousenose hissed.

"Do not!" Longwhisker retorted.

"I do!" snapped Mousenose.

They went back and forth, back and forth, on and on about him. Whatever it was about him. As far as he knew, he did nothing to them.

When he was done, he heard the last yowls drain out as he quietly took the moss back to the medicine cat den.

"Thanks!" called Graypaw.

Snakepaw nodded dully and padded to a stream, washing his paws and padding back to camp to hear Silverstar and some ShadowClan cats leaving for the Gathering. Suddenly, excitement rushed through him and his fur tingled. He was going with them!

"Wait for me!" he yowled, catching up.

Chapter 7

Snakepaw padded to the Gathering.

"Wow! So many cats!" he breathed.

Graypaw nodded casually and padded to a group of medicine cats. In a group of cats that included a silver she-cat, a tortoiseshell she-cat, his brother, Goldendream, an-

"Let the Gathering begin!" boomed a deep voice.

Huh. I feel like I'll see that tortoiseshell one day, thought Snakepaw.

"ThunderClan is doing well, and we have two new apprentices. Petalpaw and Dapplepaw, and Petalpaw has chosen the path of a medicine cat," a brown tabby that was supposedly the ThunderClan leader announced.

"Petalpaw! Dapplepaw! Petalpaw! Dapplepaw!"

Snakepaw yowled with the cats, but mostly for Petalpaw. Why, he didn't know.

"ShadowClan is doing well," the silver she-cat stepped up, "We have new apprentices, Snakepaw and Graypaw, and Graypaw has chosen medicine cat as well."

Snakepaw perked up at his name.

"Snakepaw! Graypaw! Snakepaw! Graypaw!"

He let the yowls ring in his ears.

"RiverClan is doing great, and fish is plentiful," declared a gray she-cat.

"WindClan is doing fine, and rabbits are plentiful," boomed a white tom.

"SkyClan is doing good, lots of squirrels and birds," reported a golden-brown she-cat.

"This gathering is at an end." the ThunderClan leader announced.

The leaders jumped off the Greak Oak, gathering their Clans. Snakepaw took one last glance at the tortoiseshell, Petalpaw, before padding off with his Clanmates.

Chapter 7

Snakepaw stretched.

"Snakepaw! Border patrol!"

Snakepaw snapped into alert and padded out the den and followed the other cats on the patrol.

Snakepaw saw a lone kittypet.

"Hey! You!" he yowled.

"Aah!" the kittypet screeched, running away.

Snakepaw remarked both borders, yawning, and padded back to camp.

Chapter 8

Snakepaw sighed, padding out of camp. A hunting patrol was assigned to him and a few other cats.

He slowly crept in on a frog and pounced on it, nipping its spine.

"Thank you StarClan, for this prey," he meowed.

He buried it, padding off and a fresh smell hit his nose. Mouse!

He slowly crept in and pounced on the mouse, biting its throat and cutting off a shriek that split the silence.

He dug up the frog and mouse, padding back to camp.

Chapter 9

Moons flew by and Snakepaw padded out of the apprentices' den.

"Snakepaw!"

Snakepaw whipped towards the noise, padding towards his mentor.

"Today you will be assessed for your warrior ceremony," explained Thornfang.

Snakepaw's fur bristled with excitement. "Fina-I mean thank you!" he yowled.

Running out of camp, a scent hit his nose. Toad!

He crept in slowly on a toad, pouncing on it and nipping its throat.

"Thank you, StarClan for this prey!" he yowled.

He sniffed the air, and soon a lizard scurried out, snuffling around a tree. Suddenly, its little nostrils twitched.

Snakepaw froze. The lizard could smell him! He was standing in the opposite direction Thornfang said!

But his freezing was short lived. He ran towards the opposite direction.

Crack!

A stick split into two! *Argh!*

Angrily, he just pounced directly on the lizard and bit down on its spine.

Thornfang padded out, amused. "That was quite the pounce the second time," he mused.

Snakepaw's tail tip twitched.

"Alright, you passed," Thornfang laughed, "let's go back to camp.

Chapter 10

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" the leader yowled.

Snakepaw's eyes sparkled.

"I, Silverstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Snakepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan?" Silverstar asked.

"I do!" Snakepaw blurted out before the meaning of the words sank in.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Snakepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Snakefang. StarClan honors your bravery and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan," Silverstar announced.

Silverstar rested her muzzle on Snakefang and he licked her shoulder.

"Snakefang!"

"Snakefang!"

The Clan's yowls drained out all other din that filled the air.

Except one cat.

Mousenose.

She glared at him, muttering something. Something, that was obviously about him.

Snakefang strained his ears to here her soft voice.

"Now that he was named Snakefang it's even more obvious!" she mumbled, "The snake's fang? Snakefang? Some cats just are plain mouse-brained!"

He stared at her, mystified. His mind whirled. Snake's fang? What? About to ask her, he than realized he couldn't. He had to sit vigil, and didn't dare break the warrior code or disobey StarClan's rules.

He slunk to the entrance and sat down. All was quiet. Physically. But all was alive, in his mind.

Chapter 11

As dawn rose, Thornfang meowed, "It's okay. You can talk now."

Snakefang stretched, sighing, "That was a long night."

Snakefang padded out of camp.

Suddenly, a rustle sounded in the bushes.

"Huh?" he meowed.

*Hm...weird.*

After padding on a while, he froze. Two voices were clashing not far away, and he strained his ears to listen.

"Of course, ShadowClan will be destroyed! They're not like they used to be, and ThunderClan, or should I say BlunderClan, and kittypet weak!" Silverstar whispered, standing over Longwhisker and a small kit, "Like I care about StarClan. I only talk about them for my Clan's trust! And the Dark Forest will rule! And, weak will be eliminated!"

"You are wrong!" retorted Goldendream, "The Clans will live on!"

"I always knew you were weak!" screeched Silverstar.

She slashed Goldendream's throat, hissing.

"That kit is weak...who needs elders?" she mumbled.

She slashed her claws down their throats too.

The kit let out a squeal, and collapsed. Longwhisker's body shook in agony, and his frail wide eyes glared up at her one last time before it rolled up and glazed.

Too horrified to do anything, Snakefang only watched. *Oh come on!* *I'll just kill her when she's back in camp.*

Chapter 12

Snakefang pounced onto Silverstar, biting her throat. Her body convulsed and she fell dead.

The Clan gasped.

Mousenose narrowed her eyes, "I knew it! He has killed our beloved leader! He must have also killed Goldendream, Smallkit, and Longwhisker!"

*Huh?* Snakefang jerked backwards in shock as accusing glares bore into him.

"I-" Snakefang started to explain.

Bronzeshine hissed, "As the deputy, you are exiled."

Thornfang looked away, uncomfortable, and his brother, Grayfur sighed. He couldn't leave, since he was the only medicine cat now.

Suddenly, a thirst boiled in Snakefang's throat. A thirst of vengeance.

Without another word, he whirled around and stalked off.

Chapter 13

Moons flew by, and a rustle sounded in the bushes. A tortoiseshell she-cat stepped out. *That apprentice I saw! This must be her! Wait...I forgot her name!*

"Why hello," Snakefang meowed, "I believe I have seen you at a Gathering before... I don't know your name though?"

"My name is Petalflower," she snapped, "I was formerly the ThunderClan medicine cat, yet I was exiled for supposedly poisoning our warrior and a Clanmate of mine, Badgershade when he died from his wounds, not deathberries!"

*Badgershade? What...*

Still, Snakefang replied, "I was exiled from ShadowClan for killing my leader. But my leader killed kits, elders, and medicine cats! I was doing ShadowClan a favor! The Clans do nothing but crawl to cruel and powerful leaders! They're all cowards and I'll have vengeance on all of them. Every. Last. One."

That thirst...that bile...for vengeance....it rose again in his throat as he stared at the she-cat. She was quite pretty.

Petalflower nodded, "Well Snakefang, we have something to agree on. The Clans are all mouse-brains, and we were exiled for helping them. Though you did something more...brutal."

"It's nice to share troubles with someone who understands each other," Snakefang smiled.

Chapter 14

Snakefang woke up, yawning, watching Petalflower open her eyes, staring at her.

"What?" she asked shortly.

Anger filled Snakefang. Did she not appreciate his protection? He could've left her alone!

Forcing himself to shrug, he meowed, "Well, I guess I'm left with a weirdo medicine cat. Want me to catch you something?"

Smirking slightly, he waited for a response.

Petalflower's eyes narrowed, showing that she thought he wanted to hunt her*. Mouse brain!*

"I'm not a weirdo medicine cat!" Petalflower snarled.

Did she just object to him? Ooh....

"Then you can starve, you ungrateful fox. You're no better than the Clans!" Snakefang snapped.

"How dare you!" she screeched.

He lunged at him, and she lunged back. Surprised at how fierce and strong her vicious attacks were, he forced his eyes not to widen in surprise. Their teeth writhed, the whites of their fangs glowing softly in the dim moonlight. Pieces of ears ripped, and claws hissed defiantly, voicing the fighting cats' fury. He jumped away, seeing her do the same. Their anger had finally relented. Blood splattered the leaves, staining it bright red against green. Rivers of blood flowed from their bodies, and their eyes were wide with shock, mouth hanging open in a ghastly shriek that split the silence.

He watched her stalk off, and he padded off. Pouncing on a thrush, he saw Petalflower crouching over a vole. Sending her a reproachful glare, she sniffed in distaste and ignored him. To her, he was nothing. And to him, she was nothing.

Chapter 15

"Stay away from me!" was all Petalflower and Snakefang said to each other when they woke up.

Suddenly, a fox jumped onto Snakefang. Petalflower jumped on the fox. *Huh?*

Shock filled Snakefang, but that didn't last very long. He jumped on the fox with her, slashing its belly as she nipped the fox's ears.

Together, they scored their claws down its flank. They continued in that pattern- and well they killed it. They both had deep wounds.

"Wait for a moment," she called.

Snakefang waited and waited and waited and waited. Finally, Petalflower emerged with herbs in her mouth.

Petalflower applied a layer of cobwebs for her and Snakefang, then added the layers of marigold, chervil, and horsetail. She shoved thyme into their throats and calmed themselves. She grabbed the four poppy seeds and gulped down two, giving two to Snakefang.

"Hey Petalflower?" Snakefang yawned, "You know what? You're okay with me." *You. Just Okay. No Feelings. Good or bad. I don't necessarily hate you, or like you.*

Petalflower smiled, "I agree."

Chapter 16

Snakefang became warmer and warmer to Petalflower-he didn't know why. He just loved her beautiful design. He just loved her warm breath. He just loved that she helped him. And he just loved her. And he could tell she liked him.

Barreling into her, he breathed, "Will you be my mate?"

Surprise flitted into her eyes, and a nervous feeling wormed in his belly.

"Sure," she purred.

The two mates entwined tails, staring at the beautiful horizon signaling, approving, of the two new mates.

Chapter 17

Nine moons past and a pregnant Petalflower collapsed, "Snakefang, I-I'm having your kits!"

Petalflower writhed in agony, eyes hollow with desperation. Pain coursed her body, agony racked it hard. Petalflower winced.

Snakefang blinked, panicking, "I-I don't know what to do!"

"I do, I'm that weirdo medicine cat, remember?" Petalflower let out a weak purr.

Snakefang bowed his head in shame. Even though she was quite a pain in the tail at first, he did suppose he was a bit harsh.

"Fetch me a stick, those cobwebs, and those leaves, and those berries," Petalflower rasped. Her gaze scorched over the cobwebs, raspberry leaves, and juniper berries nearby.

Snakefang raced over and grabbed the herbs.

Petalflower bit down onto the stick so hard it splintered, sending wood flying everywhere. She whimpered as a bundle pushed out.

Snakefang searched for another stick as Petalflower let out a screech that split the silence.

Another kit pushed out, then another.

Petalflower ate the juniper, and applied cobwebs and raspberry leaves to the blood.

One was a black tom who looked like Snakefang, another was a tortoiseshell she-cat who looked like Petalflower, and the last one was a silver she-cat.

They rasped their tongues over the kits, getting them breathing.

"What about Littlekit for the one who looks like me?" Snakefang asked.

"And Leafkit for the tortoiseshell she-kit?" Petalflower suggested. *A beautiful name for a beautiful kit!*

"And Mistkit for the silver she-kit!" Snakefang chimed in.

They nodded in agreement.

Chapter 18

"We should get vengeance on ThunderClan by now," Petalflower meowed.

Snakefang nodded, "For our plan to work, we need to give up our kits."

"To ThunderClan?" Petalflower spat out the word ThunderClan like a piece of crow-food.

"Yes," Snakefang replied. *My poor kits...but I need revenge...*

"What even is our plan?" Petalflower asked.

"Oh! We don't have one!" Snakefang realized. *How embarrassing!*

"We lead six foxes to the camp, get the other Clans, and help ThunderClan," Petalflower started.

"Oh yeah!" Snakefang explained, "Then they will want to do us a favor, and we say we want to give them our kits, and we say it's because we want them to survive. And then we say, one more favor since that favor was really small and we literally saved the Clan. We say we want to meet the leader and deputy by the Thunderpath, than meet the medicine cat by the tree. Of course, we want to kill her with our own claws."

"Oh yeah!" Petalflower replied, "With no leader, no deputy, no medicine cat to tell that StarClan wants whatever cat to be the leader, ThunderClan will split apart. They will become rogues, wander lonely, and suffer the torment we were forced to bear. Let's do this!"

Chapter 19

Snakefang woke up at dawn. Yawning, he stretched. The plan! Maybe he could start. He did want to impress his mate. His mind swirling with thoughts, he forgot the bait and padded towards the fox camp.

Suddenly, something caught him off guard, pouncing on him.

He dropped to the ground in shock with a thud, staring at the huge orange paws. Preparing to fight the fox, he started to unsheathe his claws. Unfortunately, he was too late.

The fox bit down on his throat, and his eyelids were dragged down...down...down...and he crashed into a wave of nothingness.

Chapter 20

Snakefang opened his eyes, immediately knowing where he was. The Dark Forest.

His thirst hadn't been satisfied yet, but he vowed, one day, one time, it finally would be.

Eplilogue

A blurred image appeared, forming a misty shape of a tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes.

Immediately, Snakefang knew that with his mate, one day, one time, he would get revenge on all that had betrayed him.

Lightfeather's Thirst-Sneak Peek

"I wish her destiny wouldn't include that horrifying event," mused a silver she-cat with shimmery fur.

"It is not our job to interfere, but to watch, and we can help all we can, which we did," a light speckled brown tom reminded her.

"You're ri-" the silver she-cat started.

"Oh in our name, Mintleaf, Dottednose, you are all only fussing over her? There's another, you know," a white tom with huge brown paws (maybe sounds like his name will be Brownfoot since the way Blackfoot's name is!) and a bossy tone scoffed.

"Oh Eagleclaw..." Mintleaf sighed.

Ignoring her, the self believed superior (at times, anyway) sat down, his eyes widening mysteriously, "A single feather singled out, one feather that is light it will fall (He just talks like that). Not from the pulls of gravity (do cats even know about gravity?) but from a coldness concealed until now." (Does it sound to weird?)

The other two cats gasped as the image appeared on a pool, fur ruffled, unable to speak.

Finally, Dottednose broke the silence.

"We'll need to tell Petalflower, even though she's...you know gonna do what."

End

So, this is the end of the story. Thank you everyone who read it, enjoyed it or not! Stay tuned, little dreamers. Later on Lightfeather's Thirst will be posted! (I know, I know, you all hate Lightfeather, but please, if you can try to see her side once it's started! Goodbye and see y'all in Lightfeather's Thirst! \*smile\*